You may not know it, but every single BMW built is ordered to specification. There is not a 'standard' model, and every single car has to be ordered individual

You may not know it, but every single BMW built is ordered to specification. There is not a 'standard' model, and every single car has to be ordered individually. The new BMWs you see sitting in dealer lots are those ordered by the dealership, where the local salespeople pre-emptively order cars in color/trim combinations that they think they can sell. Typically these are optioned up a bit, and thus they can convince a wavering buyer to take one today instead of waiting. The end result of this system is that inventory is borne by the dealerships, customers can personalize their cars (taken to the extreme with Mini) and the factory is a fascinating place to visit because every single car coming down the line is different to the one in front and the one behind. It is entirely integrated to their JIT systems soma truck full of steering wheels unloads them in the correct build order to match the vehicles progressing down the line already.