BMW sets out ambitious Shenyang plans

Johann Wieland, chairman and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Co Ltd. [Photo/VCG]

Car giant BMW plans to produce more luxury and value-added vehicles in Shenyang, Liaoning province over the next three years, according to information released at the 2019 BMW Brilliance Supplier Meeting that concluded in the city on March 26.

According to an industry development plan, by 2020 BMW's Dadong plant in Shenyang will produce purely electric BMWiX3s with a production capacity of 120,000 cars for global sales. It is the first luxury car manufacturer to produce 100 percent electric vehicles in China for export around the world. 

By 2021, BMW's Dadong plant will implement a mid-term revision of the BMW 5 Series and upgrade to BMW's new 5 Series LCI. And according to the plan, by 2022, the plant will achieve mass production of the high-end value-added BMW X5 model.

Shenyang is one of China's traditional manufacturing regions and is popular for car manufacturers, becoming BMW's largest production base over a 16-year period.

The 2019 BMW Brilliance Supplier Meeting takes place in Shenyang on March 26. [Photo/people.cn]

The city has witnessed the launch of many famous BMW models. In 2005, the fifth generation BMW3 series was launched there; and in August 2010, the new BMW 5 series long-wheelbase model was launched in the city, eventually becoming a popular luxury business sedan for Chinese drivers.

In 2014, the BMW 5 Series plug-in hybrid model was unveiled in Shenyang, marking another important stage in the development of BMW Brilliance. In January 2018, the 2 millionth Shenyang-made BMW vehicle rolled off production lines at the Dadong plant.

The company has made a big commitment to Shenyang over the past 16 years, investing in new facilities and equipment.

Back in 2003, the German car giant opened its first plant in the city and established a joint venture company, BMW Brilliance Automotive Co Ltd, becoming the first car manufacturer to produce luxury vehicles in China since the country joined the WTO in 1995.

The firm's Dadong plant was expanded in 2017 using the latest Industry 4.0 technology, including digitized production and smart manufacturing techniques.

Currently, it not only has two large vehicle production plants in Dadong and Tiexi, but also the largest powertrain plant outside Europe, with an annual output of 600,000 engines. 

In addition, it also operates the BMW Asia Pacific Base for High Voltage Power Batteries, along with the only BMW research and development center outside Germany.

Going forward, BMW expects that its Shenyang production base will continue to play a central part in the firm's operations and future development plans.

The exterior of BMW's Dadong plant is photographed in Shenyang. [Photo/Chinanews.com]