BMW Group confirms additional production of BMW X1 at VDL Nedcar.

Rijswijk/Munich. As of August 2017, VDL Nedcar in Born in the Netherlands will begin production of the BMW X1. The move was jointly announced today by the BMW Group and the VDL Group. VDL Nedcar will share production of the BMW X1 for the world market with BMW Group Plant Regensburg. VDL Nedcar has built three MINI models in Born since 2014.The BMW X1 will be the fourth BMW Group model to roll off the production lines at VDL Nedcar.

Strong global demand for the BMW X1 requires additional capacity to supplement production at the BMW Group plant in Regensburg, where the second generation of this successful model has been manufactured since July 2015. With eight different models built on a single line, production volumes at BMW Group Plant Regensburg have risen significantly in recent years. As a consequence of this successful growth, the plant will share BMW X1 production with VDL Nedcar. Over its lifecycle, the main volume of the BMW X1 will still be produced in Regensburg, however.

BMW Group Plant Regensburg and VDL Nedcar are partner plants since early 2014 and have established a close and successful collaboration. VDL Nedcar has many years of experience manufacturing high-quality cars and is a trusted and reliable partner for the BMW Group production network. The involvement of VDL Nedcar as a contract manufacturer gives the BMW Group the flexibility to respond quickly to market demand for the BMW X1.

Peter Haug, Marketing Director of BMW Group Netherlands: “In the Netherlands, demand for BMW X models has been very strong, especially for the BMW X1. Last year, a total of 1,946 units were registered, making it the best sales result since the first generation was launched in 2009. In 2016, no less than 62.2 percent of all X models sold in the Netherlands (3,131 in total) were BMW X1s, which means that one in six BMW models sold was a BMW X1.”

Strong cooperation

Since 2014, VDL Nedcar has produced various MINI models, starting with the three-door MINI in split production with BMW Group Plant Oxford. The second model, the MINI Convertible, is exclusively built in Born. On 2 November 2016, VDL Nedcar also began exclusive production of the new MINI Countryman. In March 2017, VDL Nedcar will start production of the new MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, MINI’s first plug-in hybrid, and the sporty MINI John Cooper Works Countryman with 170 kW (231 hp).

BMW X models popular worldwide

In 2016, BMW sold a total of 2,003,359 vehicles (an increase of 5.2 per cent compared to 2015), of which 644,922 were X models (an increase of 22.3 per cent compared to 2015). One in three BMW models sold in 2016 was an X model.