Munich/Shenyang. BMW Brilliance’s Shenyang Production Base reached another significant milestone with the official roll-off of its 7 millionth vehicle. This achievement not only reflects the BMW Group’s long-standing commitment to the Chinese market and its continued investment in Shenyang, but also marks a new phase in intelligent manufacturing, local innovation, and future production capabilities.

“For more than 30 years, we have been deeply rooted in China. The seven-millionth BMW vehicle from our plant in Shenyang is a significant milestone in this success story: it demonstrates the strength of our local production – and it reflects the high level of expertise, the great dedication, and the exceptional commitment of our Chinese team,” says Raymond Wittmann, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production.

“With the start of local production of the Neue Klasse later this year, we are opening the next chapter and starting a new era for BMW in China.”

“Seven million vehicles are far more than just a number — they represent seven million times that Chinese customers have chosen and trusted BMW. Beyond excellent products, we have also built in Shenyang a future-proof production system, strong local competences, and an exceptional team whose expertise drives our innovation and success in China. Building on this strong foundation, we are accelerating into a new era through innovation, deeper localization, and intelligent manufacturing, opening the next chapter of BMW’s development in China.” said Ms. Birgit Boehm, President and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd.

The milestone vehicle that rolled off the line is the BMW 3 Series Horse Edition. It not only showcases BMW’s agility in responding to the Chinese market but also highlights the outstanding cross-functional collaboration across R&D, purchasing, and manufacturing at the Shenyang Production Base, as well as its ability to deliver stable, high-quality output in a highly competitive market environment.

Deeply Rooted in China: Building a New Benchmark for BMW iFACTORY

From the roll-off of the first locally produced BMW vehicle in 2003 to today’s 7 millionth milestone, BMW has established a comprehensive system in China covering complete vehicle and powertrain manufacturing, localized R&D, and a localized supply chain, making it one of BMW’s most important production and innovation hubs worldwide.

The vision of the BMW iFACTORY serves as a powerful guiding principle for the BMW production worldwide. BMW’s long-term commitment to Liaoning Province and Shenyang continues to translate into a future-oriented, high-quality production system and strong local innovation capabilities, further strengthening the company’s long-term development foundation in China.

Digitalization and AI Driving the Next Level of Smart Manufacturing

As a key practice hub for BMW’s global intelligent manufacturing, digitalization and AI technologies have been widely integrated across all production processes at the Shenyang Production Base. Through intelligent applications, the base continuously enhances production efficiency, quality management, and operational coordination, achieving more efficient, stable, and high-quality manufacturing operations.

This development direction is also highly aligned with China’s ongoing efforts to advance new industrialization and foster new quality productive forces. Leveraging its Shenyang Production Base, the BMW Group continues to drive the deep integration of intelligent manufacturing, digitalization and sustainability, setting a benchmark for high-quality development in the premium automotive manufacturing sector while also contributing to local supply chain upgrading and the cultivation of highly skilled talent. This demonstrates BMW’s long-term confidence in China and its continued commitment to supporting the high-quality development of China’s manufacturing industry.

Building Core Capabilities for the Neue Klasse, Accelerating Toward New Era

BMW Shenyang Production Base continues to promote employee upskilling and capability transformation, fostering a professional workforce tailored to the future of the automotive industry. This provides sustained support for new technologies, new products, and new production models, while continuously contributing “China experience” to the BMW global production network.

At the same time, centered around the local production of the Neue Klasse models, BMW Shenyang Production Base is comprehensively advancing upgrades in its production system, digital architecture, and supply chain collaboration capabilities. Leveraging a higher level of flexible manufacturing, AI-powered quality management, and a highly connected digital production network, the Shenyang Production Base is laying a solid foundation for the local production of Neue Klasse models while further strengthening BMW’s overall competitiveness in electrification, digitalization, and sustainability — continuing to lead the future of premium automotive manufacturing.

• NEUE KLASSE to be released in 2025, local production in Shenyang for China from 2026
• BBA to invest RMB 10 billion in construction of assembly plant for sixth-generation high-voltage batteries in China
• Global production network for high-voltage batteries based on “local for local” principle

Shenyang. To mark the 20th anniversary of the BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA) joint venture, Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, today announced local production of the NEUE KLASSE in China. Following the market launch in 2025, models of the next vehicle generation will also be produced from 2026 onwards by BBA in Shenyang. The high-voltage batteries required for this will likewise be manufactured locally. The virtual ground-breaking for a new assembly site for high-voltage batteries also took place as part of the anniversary celebrations. BBA is investing RMB 10 billion in the new location, which will produce battery cells for the next, sixth generation of high-voltage batteries from 2026 onwards. The “Sixth-Generation Battery Project” will play a key role in production of vehicles for the NEUE KLASSE and create around 2,000 new jobs in the region.

“From a small assembly facility with a limited number of units, our plants in Shenyang have developed into our largest production location worldwide. Today, 20 years after our joint venture’s initial start of production, I am delighted to announce local production of the NEUE KLASSE in China,” declared Milan Nedeljković in Shenyang. “Integration of the NEUE KLASSE into our production in China goes hand in hand with construction of a high-voltage battery assembly for the next, sixth generation of batteries and will make a significant contribution to further electrification of our lineup and, therefore, to our success as a company.”

20 years of BBA – strong partnership between China and Germany
The BMW Group has had a presence in the Chinese market since 1994 and founded the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture in May 2003. Over the past 20 years, the BMW Group has continuously expanded its activities in China, and production capacity in Shenyang has increased from 30,000 to 830,000 units. BBA currently produces seven model ranges, with fully-electric, plug-in hybrid and internal combustion engines.

Electromobility and digitalisation play an important role at the BMW Group and, particularly, in China. The BMW Group’s next model generation, the NEUE KLASSE, will embody all three pillars of future mobility: electric, digital and circular.

Global production network for high-voltage batteries based on “local for local” principle
Integration of the NEUE KLASSE in China and construction of battery factories for the sixth generation are further milestones, as the BMW Group systematically aligns its production network for electromobility. More than half the vehicles the BMW Group sells worldwide should be fully electric before 2030.

At present, the BMW Group produces electronic components and high-voltage batteries for its current electric vehicles at its German sites in Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg, as well as at the Shenyang location in China. In addition to Shenyang, new assembly sites for sixth-generation high-voltage batteries will be added in Debrecen (Hungary), San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and Woodruff near Spartanburg (USA) in the next few years. These batteries will be used in the models of the NEUE KLASSE. The company also plans to establish a new location in Germany to supply its Bavarian vehicle plants with sixth-generation high-voltage batteries going forward.

With its “local for local” approach, the BMW Group is securing the increasing electrification of its product lineup in individual regions of the world. Short distances also enable CO₂ savings from logistics.

Expansion of research and development activities in Shenyang In preparation for the rollout of the NEUE KLASSE, the BMW Group has created an entire electromobility ecosystem in China, spanning research and development, the supply chain and production of batteries and electric vehicles. With facilities in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang and Nanjing, the BMW Group has built the biggest research and innovation network outside of Germany. The research and development centre in Shenyang is mainly focused on developing technologies for electromobility and localising products. To coincide with its tenth anniversary, the R&D facility was comprehensively expanded and development and validation capacity for BEVs in China increased. The site provides 19 test benches for low and high-voltage testing, pedestrian safety testing, improved electronic analyses and charging capacity tests at extreme temperatures. These expanded testing capacities can also help shorten development cycles.

Local supplier network further expanded
The BMW Group is continuously expanding its supplier network in China and consistently implementing its “local for local” approach. BBA already has around 430 local suppliers across the country. More than a quarter of these are in Liaoning Province and almost 100 in Shenyang.

Systematic implementation of BMW iFACTORY
Implementation of the BMW iFACTORY – the master plan for automotive production at the BMW Group – will drive further development of high-quality, intelligent and resource-efficient manufacturing in Shenyang. Based on the production principles LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL., the BMW iFACTORY sets new standards for automotive production in the age of electric and digital mobility: The most recent example of this is the Lydia plant site that opened last year and was configured for the BMW iFACTORY from the beginning.

Reliable employer
The BMW Group and BBA provide high-quality jobs for more than 30,000 people in China; 26,000 of these at BBA alone. 92 percent of the managerial positions are currently held by Chinese staff.

Zhuhai, 13th November 2011. BMW Motorsport ended the 2011 motorsport season in style with a one-two victory, and now heads into the winter in good spirits. Jörg Müller (DE) and Augusto Farfus (BR) won the GTE class at the final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in Zhuhai (CN). The pair in the number 55 BMW M3 GT had already secured pole position for the six-hour race. Their team-mates, Andy Priaulx (GB) and Uwe Alzen (DE), in car number 56 finished runners-up in the GTE class to complete the one-two for BMW Motorsport and BMW Team Schnitzer, who was responsible for running the two BMW M3 GT cars in Zhuhai.

In the GTE Manufacturers’ Championship, BMW ended the 2011 ILMC season in second place behind Ferrari (171 points) on 152 points. BMW Motorsport also finished runner-up in the team competition. The gap to the winning AF Corse team was just seven points (101:108). BMW claimed an impressive eight podium finishes at the seven races held in the 2011 ILMC season. These included a brace of one-twos for the Bavarian manufacturer – at the curtain-raiser in Sebring (US) and now at the finale in Zhuhai.

Charly Lamm (Team Manager):“The one-two is a great way to end the season. After our win in 2010, we have once again proven that Zhuhai is a happy stomping ground for the BMW M3 GT. The entire weekend ran smoothly for us. The cars were prepared perfectly and the tyres worked well in the warm conditions. The four drivers also did an outstanding job all weekend. Everything fell into place. That is what allowed us to secure the one-two in style, even though the race was not entirely without its difficulties for us. It was another great success for BMW and the team.”

Augusto Farfus (Car number 55):“It is great to end the season on a high. It was nice that we could once again show what we are capable of. I have to thank my team mate Jörg who did a brilliant job all through the weekend, and also BMW. We could have achieved even more results like this during this season, but unfortunately sometimes the luck was not on our side. This weekend everything ran really smoothly and we were able to show the real performance of our M3. A big thank you for this also goes to BMW Team Schnitzer, who once again did a perfect job.”

Jörg Müller (Car number 55): “It was a great weekend – the trip to China was certainly worth the effort! Coming into the weekend we already knew that the circuit suits our M3 and that the tyres work very well here. The race was not entirely without its problems, and we did drop a place. However, we were able to fight our way back to the front and emerge victorious to round off a perfect weekend. To end the season with a win is all you can possibly wish for.”

Andy Priaulx (Car number 56):“I enjoyed that race and what a great way to finish the season. Congratulations to BMW and the team for a great one-two. As usual the car performed perfectly.”

Uwe Alzen (Car number 56):“It was a perfect weekend for BMW. First and second place – it doesn't get better than that. Obviously Andy and I would have liked to have won, and we actually led for a while. However, fortune was not on our side and we dropped back a place. We were able to hold on to second place, and it is always nice to stand on the podium.”

Müller was the first of the two BMW Motorsport drivers to head out onto the dry track, taking advantage of a relatively empty track to set a flying lap time that ultimately proved unbeatable over the course of qualifying. Priaulx, on the other hand, had to contend with traffic, but he knows that with a 1000 kilometre, six hour race there is lots to play for.

BMW Team Schnitzer is once again responsible for running the two BMW M3 GT cars at the six-hour race in Zhuhai. In tomorrow's race, which gets underway at 11:00 local time (04:00 CET), Müller will alternate at the wheel of car number 55 with Augusto Farfus (BR). Priaulx will share the cockpit of car number 56 with Uwe Alzen (DE). Coming into the season finale of the ILMC, BMW currently lies second in the GTE Manufacturers' Championship behind Ferrari (151). In the team competition, the gap between BMW Motorsport and the leading AF Corse team is just 14 points (85:99), meaning BMW still has a mathematical chance of winning both titles.

Charly Lamm (Team Manager):“Generally speaking it was a good qualifying session for our team. Jörg took full advantage of a clear track to claim pole. It was dry and warm: 26 degrees outside and over 30 degrees on the track. These conditions suit us. We hope the race will also be held on a dry track, as that will put us in a good position. Although I am sure Andy would have hoped to have done better, there is everything to play for. We have a good chance of finishing the season successfully for BMW Motorsport on Sunday.”

Jörg Müller (car number 55): “We already know from last year, when we won here in Zhuhai, that the BMW M3 GT and Dunlop tyres really come into their own on a dry track. As such, I was confident coming into the race weekend, and thankfully today's qualifying backed up that confidence. We have a good car and everything is working well. This circuit is not easy: you have to be extremely accurate with your braking, otherwise you will lose a lot of time. I am very pleased that I managed a really good qualifying lap.”

Andy Priaulx (car number 56): “Jörg produced a great performance to claim pole for the team. That is very positive. Personally, however, I am disappointed as I didn't manage to set the lap time we had hoped for today. We will have to take a look at the data and see where we went wrong. Despite this, tomorrow is a six-hour race, and generally speaking we are in a good position, which I am pleased about.”

At the end of an arduous yet successful 2011 motorsport season BMW Motorsport travels to China for Sunday’s (13th November) final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) at the Zhuhai International Circuit. Once again, BMW Team Schnitzer has responsibility for both BMW M3 GTs entered in the six-hour race, with the car bearing start number 55 being in the hands of Augusto Farfus (BR) and Jörg Müller (DE), and Andy Priaulx (GB) and Uwe Alzen (DE) rotating driving duties in the number 56 sister entry.

The 4,030-kilometre Zhuhai circuit has proven a successful arena for BMW Motorsport: In last year’s ILMC finale Müller and Dirk Werner (DE) clinched the LMGT2 class victory with a BMW M3 GT2. This represented the first triumph for the BMW M3 GT2 in this specification, simultaneously marking BMW Team Schnitzer’s maiden victory on the Chinese mainland.

In 2011 BMW Motorsport is contesting the ILMC’s newly-introduced GTE class with the BMW M3 GT, immediately scoring a one-two in the season opener in Sebring (US). In the six ILMC races held to date BMW Motorsport has scored a total of six podium places, the last one in the Petit Le Mans (US) at the beginning of October. This event doubled as the final round of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), in which BMW and the BMW M3 GT made a clean sweep of the Drivers’, Manufacturers’ and Teams’ Championships. Going to the ILMC season finale in China, BMW (123 points) occupies second place behind Ferrari (151) in the manufacturers’ category of the GTE class. In the Teams’ Championship the deficit between BMW Motorsport and leader AF Corse is 14 points (85:99). Therefore BMW holds a mathematical chance of winning the titles in both categories.

Charly Lamm (Team Manager):“We are travelling to Zhuhai with very good memories. Last year we had a very strong overall package, and I am convinced this will be the case again this year. 2011 has proven extremely successful for BMW Motorsport, and our aim is to end the season in China accordingly. A top result in Zhuhai would be a fitting reward for all the hard work the entire team has put in this year. Now we are looking forward to China, and an exciting, long race during which a lot can happen, as we saw last year. However, we are fully prepared.”

Augusto Farfus (Car number 55):“I am looking forward to travelling overseas and experiencing a new circuit. Last year BMW was very successful in Zhuhai, so we hope to end this season on a high and with a victory. The track is new for me, but we can practice all day on Wednesday, so I have plenty of time to learn the circuit and be spot-on for the race. Jörg won the race last year, so I am looking forward to sharing the car with him. I think we have a good and strong package, and I know that the track suits the M3 very well.”

Jörg Müller (Car number 55): “I am looking forward to competing with the BMW M3 GT again, as the break since my last race in Silverstone has been a bit too long. In addition I am particularly looking forward to China, as the Zhuhai circuits plays to the strengths of our M3. There a car needs to have very good braking characteristics, which the BMW has. Last year we were extremely strong there. I am convinced we will be front-runners again, so with a chance of victory.”

Andy Priaulx (Car number 56):“It is my first time at Zhuhai. I have not driven the track before, but I drove it on a simulator in preparation for the race. I am looking forward to it. I know it is quite a challenging track, and I think the GTE class will be extremely competitive. It should be a strong circuit for us, it was strong last year and we want to finish the season on a high. Our goal has to be to try and win the race.”

Uwe Alzen (Car number 56):“I travel to China in an optimistic frame of mind. We aim to end the season there with a top result. My last race with BMW was the ILMC round in Silverstone. Unfortunately we did not make it to the podium there. However, I think the warm temperatures in China will work for us. In addition the team has a lot of experience from last year. Our aim is to win. We will see whether we manage that, but I believe we have a good chance.”