Sunbelt BMW

It was less than a month ago when readers of Off  Road magazine named the BMW X3 "Off-Road Vehicle of the Year 2011". Already, the X3 is claiming another success. After taking a solid lead in a reader survey conducted by Europe's best-selling specialist journal for four-wheel drive cars, Auto Bild Allrad, the luxury SUV earned the prestigious designation of "Four-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2011".

In its eleventh, most recent survey Auto Bild Allrad asked its readers choose from among 130-plus competitors, in nine different categories. Given the scope of competition, BMW's leadership position is highly…

As if it wasn't enough for BMW to launch a new eco-friendly sub-brand, the BMW i, they've now released sales goals for the i3, further proving their commitment to the rapidly growing electric market. Starting in 2014, BMW is aiming to sell a minimum of 30,000 units per year!

Think the goal seems a bit high? Consider for a moment that Mini sold 30,000 units of a comparable model, the Clubman, in 2010 - when the market was still in recovering from the 2008/2009 global economic crisis.

Ian Roberston, BMW's leader of global sales and…