BMW X5 – BBA starts new plant for the long version of the SUV

The manufacturing capacities for the BMW X5, which until now was only produced at the BMW Group's US plant in Spartanburg, will therefore be expanded globally.

"Dadong is a testament to the strength of our team," says Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG's Board Member for Production: "Despite the challenges of the past three years, this highly complex project was completed perfectly on schedule. For the BMW Group, our production sites in China are of great importance. Last year, almost one-third of the BMW Group vehicles sold worldwide were manufactured in Shenyang."

Combustion and Electric – BMW Continues to Rely on All Types of Drives

The BMW Brilliance plant in Dadong began building BMW vehicles for China in 2003. Today, the plant is one of the most modern in the group. With the completion of the renovation measures, the plant can fully flexibly produce vehicles with internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrid or fully electric drives. This increased flexibility makes it possible to quickly respond to future market trends and changing customer needs. Another focus during the expansion was placed on digitalization and sustainability. The ecological footprint is to be further reduced through innovative manufacturing technologies.

“We want to be a leader in China: green, lean, digital! Driven by technology and innovation, we create value for our customers. With 100 years of BMW production expertise, we are building one of the most advanced and intelligent production sites in China here in Shenyang. The expansion of the Dadong plant will once again set standards in terms of sustainability, productivity, digitalization, and agility,” explained Franz Decker, President and CEO BMW Brilliance.

BMW – almost more of a Chinese brand than a European one?

In addition to the newly introduced BMW X5, the BMW 5 Series and X3 are produced in Dadong for the Chinese market, as well as the fully electric BMW iX3* exclusively for the global market. Together with the second BBA plant in Tiexi, more than 700,000 vehicles were manufactured there last year. BBA in Shenyang is not only the highest-volume production site of the BMW Group but also the largest premium manufacturer in China. In Tiexi, the BMW 1 Series and 3 Series as well as the BMW X1 and X2 are built. This summer, the new Lydia plant will be added, where the new BMW i3, an all-electric 3 Series sedan exclusively produced for the Chinese market, will be based. Combined with the local engine plant, where both combustion engines and high-voltage batteries are manufactured, four production sites will be located in Shenyang in the future. The site also hosts extensive research and development activities. Since 2010, the BBA joint venture has invested around 12 billion euros in plants, projects, and development activities in Shenyang.