Where the BMW X5 is assembled. Excursion to the BMW plant: how the legendary car is assembled

The BMW company, without any doubt, produces high-quality and reliable cars that almost everyone dreams of purchasing. The BMW X5 is rightfully considered the crowning glory of German designers.

This SUV is luxurious, prestigious and reliable. It has won the trust and love of consumers from all over the world. At the same time, this car is not at all as expensive as analogues from the segment. It is also good that a company that has achieved such success in the market as the Bavarians protects the quality of its cars. Therefore, it is not at all profitable for them if their inventions are of poor quality.

When buying a German SUV, you will be confident in its reliability. But it would be nice to know where the BMW X5 is assembled. It is this question that we decided to raise in our article.

What happened to the plans to release the BMW X5 in Russia

In general, the main BMW X5 assembly plants are located in:

• Germany;
• America;
• Thailand;
• Egypt;
• India;
• Malaysia.

BMW X5 for our consumers is assembled in Germany and Russia. Cars of our production come off the assembly line of the Avtotor plant. In 2009, the idea was voiced to open a German company’s own enterprise in our country. But, unfortunately, it was postponed indefinitely. The head of the concern insisted on this.

It turned out that the current unfavorable situation in Russia influenced the fact that sales of the Bavarians fell by 40%. Our market, on the one hand, remains a priority for the concern. But no one can predict how things will turn out next. Everyone is inclined to believe that things will not improve. Therefore, the question of building a new plant is up in the air.

At the end of last year, our car dealerships sold only 37.3 thousand cars. About 30% of them are BMW X5. This is due to the devaluation of the ruble. Also, in connection with this, the manufacturer raised the cost of all its cars. Moreover, this was done several times. The price increase ranged from 2 to 6.5 percent, depending on the model and configuration. But, at the Avtotor plant, production has already been established quite well. By the way, more than half of all cars sold last year were produced here.

As for the Bavarians’ own enterprise in Kaliningrad, it was supposed to be opened in 2016. According to the latest estimates, 1.5 billion euros were to be spent on its construction. It was planned to assign half of the cost to Avtotor. At the same time, the production volume was supposed to be a thousand cars per year for each model at first.

It is interesting that the first BMW car rolled off the assembly line of the plant in Kaliningrad in 1999. It was that year that our engineers produced another 554 cars. But in 2008, more than six thousand models came out of here.
Half of them were BMW X5. Cost per configuration Russian assembly currently ranges from 3,415,000 rubles to 5,040,000 rubles.
In 2014, when a new restyled version of the SUV was presented, its assembly immediately began in Germany and Russia.

It received a redesigned front end, an innovative lighting system, a redesigned rear bumper and a large flat screen in the cabin. Also, the rear seat can now be folded in proportions of 40 by 20 by 40. The BMW X5 of our assembly is offered in four trim levels. They are called xDrive25d, xDrive30d, xDrive40d and xDrive35i. Three of them are available with diesel engines, and one with gasoline engines.

How the BMW X5 is assembled at a German plant

Most BMW X5 buyers dream that the SUV will be assembled not here in Kaliningrad, but in Germany. Fortunately, this is possible, because most of the cars exhibited in Russian car showrooms, they do it there. And now we will tell you exactly how jeeps are produced there. By the way, anyone can see this with their own eyes. After all, visiting the plant is absolutely open to everyone.

Let’s say right away that all parts for the crossover are made in Germany. But the rear optics are produced by a company in Italy, the wheels are supplied from Sweden, the gearboxes are imported from Japan, and the leather for the interior is from South Africa. The car is completely assembled in Munich.

The huge multi-storey building consists of four cylinders, which are connected by passages. Near it there is an exhibition hall where you can see the history of the company. You can log in here absolutely free. The production employs about 6,700 people, and they produce more than 170 thousand cars per year.
The plant's territory covers several hundred hectares. There is a painting, welding and assembly shop. Also, engineers made a section of the track on which cars are tested.

There are no workers in the pressing shop. Only robots work here. Metal is supplied here in rolls. Under pressure it turns into finished parts. Control here is carried out by computers.

Next, everything is delivered to the welding shop. Here the stamped parts are welded by the same robots. From here comes the finished body, which is submitted for galvanizing and priming. Its manipulators are painted, which can open the trunk lid, hood and doors. Our factories can only dream of this. After all, cars are painted nonstop in different colors. The air temperature here ranges from 90 to 100 degrees Celsius. The fact is that the body has a negative charge, and the paint has a positive charge. Therefore, the coating fits perfectly. Next, the painted body is sent to the oven. There it dries.

The assembly shop is the first place you see people. More than 90% of operations are performed by them. There are only 10 robots here. They install heavy units. First, the engines are mounted, then the suspension is assembled, and then the electrics are installed. At the end the interior is done, such as the seats, central panel and carpeting.

Of course, computers help people at this stage. Each car has a map with a list of equipment. If even one mistake is made, the entire process stops. So much for German precision.

The last stage is a test drive. It takes about 32 hours for one car here. After the model’s performance is checked, exactly 22 liters of fuel are poured into the tank and it is sent to the warehouse. From there it is sent to the consumer, that is, to the car dealer.

This is what it is - a BMW X5 assembly plant. We hope that we have helped you figure out which car manufacturer to buy.

For car enthusiasts, BMW is a dream car, for competitors it is a quality bar. Today, Bayerische Motoren Werke products are associated strictly with cars and German reliability. Little does anyone know that BMW began with aircraft engines and train brakes.

In 1998, the Vickers concern sold the rights to the Rolls-Royce brand to the Bavarians, despite the fact that Volkswagen offered $90 million more. Such trust does not arise out of nowhere, and the company’s history fully confirms this thesis.

BMW history

Planes and trains

The Wright brothers made their famous flight in 1903, and just 10 years later the demand for airplanes turned out to be so high that an aircraft engine company seems to be a profitable business even for conservative Germans. The future owners of the Bavarian Motor Works are opening factories in the immediate vicinity. Factory of Gustav Otto (son of Nikolaus August Otto, famous for the invention of the gas four-stroke engine internal combustion) is adjacent to the Karl Rapp enterprise on the outskirts of Munich. There is no talk of competition: the first assembles aircraft, the second assembles engines.

First World War becomes an inexhaustible source of income for companies and enterprises merge. Officially, the registration date of Bayerische Motoren Werke is July 1917, but by this time Rapp had left the company. An attempt to digest a large order received in 1916 for the production of V12 for the army of Austria-Hungary caused both a merger and an unstable financial situation. Rapp was replaced in his post by Franz Joseph Popp from the same Austria-Hungary. In 1918 the company received the status of AG (joint stock company).

The history of the logo begins in September 1917. The first BMW logo was a propeller against the sky. The company's owners were not satisfied with the option and later the propeller was stylized into four sectors, painted in two colors. According to another version, the cross and white sectors were interpreted by marketers as a propeller only for convenience, and are not associated with the propeller. Blue and white colors taken from the flag of Bavaria. The logo was finally approved in 1929 and was practically not subject to changes in the future. The emblem became voluminous in 2000.

In 1919, an airplane powered by a BMW engine reached a height of 9,760 meters. The author of the record is Franz Dimmer. The achievement was one of the few reasons for joy, because the construction of aircraft in Germany was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. For some time, Otto's factories produced brakes for trains.

From motorcycle to bicycle

Germany quickly stopped paying attention to the minor points of the Treaty of Versailles. Today it is no longer a secret that in the early 30s the company supplied aircraft engines to the USSR. BMW engines participate in one aviation record after another. In 1927 alone, the company was involved in 27 such achievements. However, by this point motorcycles are the main direction of production.

The history of the BMW brand was replenished with the first motorcycle in 1923. The R32 easily gains popularity and is presented at the exhibition of the same year in Paris as one of the most popular. Motorcycle racing in the 20s and 30s confirms the high speed and reliability of BMW products.

Ernst Henne became the fastest motorcyclist in the world in 1929. The record was set using BMW equipment. A year earlier, the construction of the automobile plant in Eisenach was completed, and the first Bavarian car, the Dixi, was born. This year marks the beginning of the history of BMW cars.

The Second World War destroyed German industry. In addition, the Allies imposed restrictions on engine size. The set maximum of 250 cm 3 did not allow development. Attempts to restore engine production led the concern to a final dead end.

The history of the BMW plant could have ended here, since it was about the demolition of the building by the Americans, and the company itself was going to be absorbed by Mercedes-Benz. The world would never have known the legendary Z8, but the difficulties were overcome through the production of bicycles and utility equipment. The enterprise was on the verge of collapse, but the first motorcycle released after the war was sold out no worse than the pre-war models.

The R24 was built on the basis of previous models, but had a single-cylinder engine that closely fit into the restrictions imposed on the volume. Low price and still high quality defined success. The R24 was released in 1948, and already in 1951, 18 thousand units of equipment rolled off the assembly line.

Cars

Attempts to produce comfortable cars after the war end in failure, so we have to focus on the working class. The company is not shy even about supplies to the USSR BMW sedan 340 (pre-war BMW 326). However, after several years of crisis, the history of the concern again begins to be replete with achievements.

• 1951 Based on the 340, the first post-war car, the 501, is assembled. An important model for the development of BMW.
• 1954-74 The company's cars hold first place in racing motorcycles with sidecars.
• 1955 The first Isetta rolls off the production line. The company focuses on middle class. 1957 - Isetta 300. Ultra-reliable and durable - these models actually brought the concern back to life.
• 1956 The lineup BMW is replenished - 507 and 503. The engine of the first had incredible power for that time - 150 hp.
• 1959 Model 700. The car is based on the Isetta, but the engine is taken from the R67 motorcycle. Despite 32 hp, due to its compact size it accelerated to 125 km/h. Designer - Giovanni Michelotti.
• 1975 BMW's first three.
• 1995 James Bond's car is born. On E52 (serial number Z8) it is installed best motor, appearance the car increases the number of fans of the brand by an order of magnitude.
• 1999 First SUV. The E53 (BMW X5) will be a resounding success already at the presentation in Detroit.

Legendary BMW cars

501

Some fans of the brand consider this car to be the most beautiful among BMW cars. Despite the beautiful and original design, the car was sold out reluctantly. The heavy body was driven by a too weak (65 hp) engine, so the 501 was inferior to the Americans and Mercedes-Benz products. However, this model became key to the design of other, more successful ones.

The car was presented to the public in Frankfurt in 1951. The production of the bodies was taken over by Baur. There was little work: 3,444 cars were produced in seven years. But the assessment was given later, when special orders began to arrive for the 501st.

2800 Spicup

The history of BMW models could not do without experiments. The appearance was developed by the famous automobile designer Mercelo Gandini, who worked with atelier Bertone. The supercar is assembled in a single copy. The futuristic look was complemented by a 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine and a chassis from the 2000 CS. Maximum speed- 210 km/h.

A fully functional concept was created exclusively for the exhibition in Geneva in 1967. Marketers decided that the car was too similar to Alfa Romeo, but this did not stop the collector who bought it for personal use. The quality did not disappoint, and by the end of the 20th century, the car’s mileage exceeded 100 thousand km.

M1 (E26)

Developed jointly with Lamborghini, the car was destined to become a celebrity. Originally designed exclusively for racing, it was later expanded to include road version. The appearance of the latter is due to restrictions imposed by the competition organizers. A total of 453 cars were produced.

Even Andy Warhol was brought in to modernize the M1's appearance as a publicity stunt. However, the main achievements lay under the hood. The M1 engine accelerated the car to hundreds in 5.6 seconds, and the upper limit was limited to 260 km/h.

750Li (F02)

From the presentation of the first model in 1977 to this day, the 7 Series remains the flagship of the concern. Each new model- a model for competitors, each using new engineering solutions. For half a century, 5 generations have changed.

Today, the F01/02 is available with five engine options, including both diesel and gasoline. There is also a bi-fuel version of Hydrogen 7, released in limited edition. Maximum speed - 245 km/h. Acceleration to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds.

X5 (E53)

The basis for the car was the fifth series, but high ground clearance and planned geometry allow the X5 to move on any type of surface. The company's attack was successful, and today the car is directly associated with this concept. The eight-speed gearbox allows you to smoothly develop speed and save fuel, the transmission allows you to overcome off-road conditions.

The car's popularity was also ensured by its comfortable interior. The bright design, load-bearing body and spacious trunk added a lot of points. The first model was presented at an auto show in 1999, and a new modernization is planned for 2014.

Conclusion

Recent years have not been entirely successful for the BMW brand, but the company still maintains high level production. Today, two dozen factories scattered around the world work for the famous German quality. There are 5 enterprises in Germany that stand out, where not only old models are assembled, but also new ones are developed.

Video about the history of BMW:

The reliability offered by the German brand has become a symbol of its own. However, the car is not as important as its driver. Make more demands on yourself, and any black streak on your road will turn, as for the Bavarian company, into a success story.

Luxury, high quality and prestige are the symbols of BMW cars. A large number of car lovers dream of themselves as the owner of a car produced in German factories. Any company that has achieved success and become a true legend carefully guards its technologies and innovative ideas. The same can be said about BMW: the management of the concern keeps its secrets under seven seals. But there is still an opportunity to get to the plant. See with your own eyes how the assembly proceeds BMW cars in Germany everyone can.

Where else are BMWs assembled?

The main production facilities are located in Germany and the USA. In addition, cars are assembled in other countries: Egypt, Thailand, South Africa, India, Malaysia, Russia. Mostly in these countries, the assembly of finished elements of the future car takes place. But not all spare parts are made in Germany. Many components are produced by other enterprises located in different parts of the world. For example, rear optics are made in Italy, and wheel disks in Sweden. Automotive leather for salons they order from South Africa. Oddly enough, but automatic boxes Gear shifts are made in Japan. In total, more than 600 firms and companies supply Bavarian factories.

All key factories are located in Germany. The company produces motorcycles of all modifications in Berlin. The BMW 1 Series, 2 Series Coupe, BMW X1, BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer are assembled in Leipzig. Motors are produced on the outskirts of the ancient town of Regensburg. It is just an hour's drive from Munich.

Assembling BMW 3 Series in Germany

The main manufacturer is located in Munich on Bavarian soil. BMW 3 Series is assembled here. Upon entering the city, tourists are greeted by a huge building. It rises many floors up. The architectural complex consists of four cylinders connected to each other. Near the Bayerische Motoren Werk AG skyscraper there is a museum and a huge exhibition hall. Its roof is decorated with a huge company logo, which is familiar to all car enthusiasts. Entrance to the museum is absolutely free. Anyone can get acquainted with the history of BMW cars and touch a real legend of the world automobile industry.

The total area of ​​the plant in Munich is several hundred hectares. The scale of production is such that you cannot walk around the entire plant in 2 hours. There are pressing, welding, painting, assembly shops and a small test track here. The plant has its own heating main, substation and restaurant. In total, the plant employs 6,700 people. With their help, more than 170 thousand BMW cars are produced per year.

On the territory of Bavarian factories, everything is very strict; the movement of outsiders around the territory is allowed only as part of excursion groups led by a guide. You can drive a car at speeds up to 30 km/h. Local police have the right, in case of violation of established rules, to prohibit the entry of personal vehicles into the territory of the plant for a period of 2 months or more.

Press

BMW production begins in the press shop. You won’t see any workers here, everything is automated. At the entrance to the machine there is metal rolled into a roll. A minute later, the finished part comes out from under the press. Metal of different thicknesses is used to manufacture various body elements. All this is controlled using a computer system.

Serial production of BMW parts

Welding

The next stage is the welding shop. The stamped parts are sent for welding. A large number of robots work quickly and coherently in a small area. Their metal manipulators are literally a couple of millimeters apart from each other. The whole process is calculated in seconds. The body of the future car appears literally before our eyes. Then he moves on. The next stage is priming and galvanizing.

Painting

The work of robots in a paint shop can be called a miracle of engineering. The prepared body is painted by a dozen manipulators; they themselves open the doors, hood and trunk lid. The most amazing thing: the robot submitted the next body for painting, the car is painted green, the next body can be painted in a completely different color, for example, red or white. All this without stopping or washing the spray guns.

The air temperature in the workshop is approximately 90–100 degrees Celsius. Painting uses the property of particles having charges of different poles. From the course of school physics it is known that they attract. The car body has a “-”, and the paint has a “+”. In this case paintwork lays perfectly flat. The body is then sent to the oven to allow the paint and varnish to dry completely. A multi-colored river flows under the conveyor. This is process water; it is used to collect paint particles that did not fall on the body. It is then cleaned and returned to the paint shop for reuse.

Assembly

In the assembly shop, 90% of operations are performed by human hands. There are only 10 robots to assemble. They are used to install heavy elements and assemblies. The following are installed in turn:

• engines with attachments;
• the suspension and steering mechanism are assembled;
• installs electrical wiring;
• Interior elements are installed: carpet, seats, panel, rear shelf.

Only highly qualified personnel work in this workshop. In order not to get confused in such a huge number of details, computers help people. Configuration cards have been drawn up for each model, the delivery system has been worked out with German precision: one mistake and the whole process can stop.

Management encourages staff training. The motto works: “If you want to get more, study.” Many workers can perform various operations. They are periodically placed in different assembly areas during the same shift. This greatly improves productivity.

For comparison, the assembly of an Italian Fiat car takes 22 hours, but a Rolls-Royce car moves from workshop to workshop within 2 weeks.

Final assembly and test

The last stage involves installing optional equipment, checking the functionality and testing of all systems and devices of the finished vehicle. It takes 32 hours to make one BMW car. 22 liters of gasoline or diesel are poured into the tank, and the car is sent on a special platform to the warehouse. But she doesn’t stay there for long and goes straight to the customer. The finished car park can only accommodate 3,000 cars. The approximate time from ordering to receiving a brand new BMW is 40–50 days.

All technological lines are constantly modified. Maintenance of conveyors, robots and manipulators takes place in parallel with production. The plant closes once a year for maintenance, which lasts 3 weeks. average salary factory worker is 2.5 thousand euros. In addition, the management of the concern encourages new ideas and inventions and does not skimp on paying bonuses for this.

How to visit the BMW plant?

Anyone can sign up for a tour of the Bavarian giant’s plant. To do this, just book a place in the group through the official BMW website. A 2.5-hour excursion costs 8 euros per tourist. You will be guided from the very beginning to the finishing stage. A visit to factory floors evokes delight and admiration for the power of engineering. If you are unable to come to Germany in person, you can watch a virtual 15-minute tour on the BMW website.

BMW is a German manufacturer of modern and functional cars. They are not only presentable in appearance, but also have the most modern technical characteristics, which makes them so popular and in demand. But where are BMWs made? The company's production forces are located in Germany. Among the main producing cities: Regensburg, Leipzig, Munich and Dingolfing. And cars are assembled at factories located in Thailand, India, Malaysia, Egypt, South Africa, Vietnam and the USA (Spartanburg). BMWs are assembled in Russia at the Avtotor enterprise, which is located in Kaliningrad. BMW assembly in Kaliningrad is not inferior in quality to other manufacturing countries.

Where is BMW X3 assembled?

The second generation crossover, namely the BMW x3, is produced at the BMW plant in Greer - South Carolina, USA. It was deployed on September 1, 2010, after the last X3 in body style (E83) rolled off the production line.

Where is BMW X5 assembled?

The car is produced at a plant located in Spartanburg, South Carolina (USA). The release is made for both the American and European markets. In the USA, sales started in 1999; in Europe, a car of this brand appeared a year later - in 2000.

Where is BMW X6 assembled?

Similar to the previous model, the BMW x6 is assembled in the USA - Spartanburg (South Carolina, USA). In Russia, this process takes place in Kaliningrad. Cars of this model are also collected in Egypt, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

Where is BMW X1 assembled?

Production of cars of this model began in October 2009 in Germany, Leipzig.

Where is BMW 7 series assembled?

This series of BMW cars is labeled as "BMW Individual". Assembly takes place at the Dingolfing plant. This is a truly unique car, you can understand this by looking at the appearance of the car. The side pillars, the stripe that runs above the glove box, and the headrests decorated with the “The Next 100 Years” emblem make for a truly modern and stylish car.

Where is BMW 3 series assembled?

Cars of this series have been produced since 2012 in Germany, in Munich.

Where is BMW i series assembled: i3, i8

The assembly of BMW i series cars: i3, i8 is also carried out in Leipzig, Germany.

"Thus, BMW - optimal choice for those who value comfort and modern technology.”

Basically, car production is concentrated abroad. Thanks to this, each car has all the necessary technical characteristics and many other important advantages.

As a result, cars from BMW are becoming more and more popular because they meet all the needs of users.

Every true car enthusiast knows that prestige, luxury and high quality are the symbols of all BMW cars. Today, many people dream of becoming the owner of one of the models from the German manufacturer. Each company has its own secrets of car production, and the BMW concern is no exception. Fans of the brand are interested in where BMWs are assembled in Russia and how the production process is carried out.

It’s worth starting with the fact that the production facilities of the German brand are scattered all over the world. Naturally, the most important and powerful plant is located in Germany. The main production of BMW models is established here. In second place in terms of production volume is an enterprise located in America. In addition, the German concern produces:

• Thailand;
• Egypt;
• India;
• Russia;
• Malaysia;

But in these countries only some elements of future cars are manufactured. And their components are supplied from Germany. Also, some parts are produced by other companies. For example, rear optics are made in Italy, and wheel rims are made in Sweden.

BMW cars are in great demand in the domestic market. Taking this fact into account, the Germans decided to open a production line with us. In Russia, cars are assembled in Kaliningrad at the Avtotor enterprise. This is a small-unit assembly plant, and almost all BMW models are produced here.

Including:

• 3-Series
• 5-Series
• 7-Series

But at our Kaliningrad enterprise, not all modifications are produced German cars. In addition, ready-made complete versions are assembled, for example, BMW 520d, BMW 520i and BMW 528 X-drive. We answered the question: where are BMWs assembled in Russia? Now let’s talk directly about the production process.

Munich plant

We have already recalled that the main production of BMW cars is located in Germany, more precisely in Munich. The plant is represented by a multi-story building in the form of four cylinders connected to each other. On the roof of the building there is a large, familiar brand emblem. There is also a free museum on the territory of the plant. The area of ​​the enterprise stretches over several hundred hectares. You will not be able to walk around the entire territory of the enterprise in two hours.

The plant includes several workshops:

• painting;
• welding;
• assembly;
• pressing

Plus, on top of all this, the territory has its own small test track, heating main, substation and restaurant. The Munich site employs approximately 6,700 people. Thanks to its employees and modern equipment, the plant is capable of producing about 170 thousand BMW cars annually.

Assembly German cars carried out in stages:

• press;
• welding;
• painting;
• assembly;
• final assembly;
• tests.

BMW cars begin to be assembled in the press shop. It is fully automated, so there are no workers here. Metals of different thicknesses are used to make machines. Where BMWs are assembled in Russia, this process is also strictly controlled. After the press shop, the finished parts go to the welding shop. Robots connect stamped spare parts together in the shortest possible time, and in a matter of minutes the finished body of the future car appears. Afterwards, specialists prime and galvanize the finished structure.

Next, it is sent for painting, where dozens of manipulators automatically open the hood, doors and trunk lid. The temperature in the paint shop ranges from 90 to 100 degrees. After applying the paint, the car is sent to a special oven so that everything dries thoroughly. But in the assembly shop, ninety percent of the work is done by people. There are ten robots, with their help all heavy units and elements are installed on the car. First, workers install the engine and attachments, then assemble the suspension and steering mechanism.

Next, the electrical wiring, carpeting, seats, panel, and rear parcel shelf are installed. It takes 32 hours to make one BMW car. Before the car goes out on the track, attachments are installed on it. After reading our article, you will not only be able to answer the question of where BMW is assembled in Russia, but also describe the entire process.

German and domestic production slightly different from each other. Let's start with the fact that Russian-made BMWs are equipped with more reliable and rigid shock absorbers and stabilizers. Because our roads are far from the same as in Germany. All electronics of a car manufactured in the Russian Federation are designed for operation at very low temperatures.

Also, compared to German cars, Russian cars have a higher ground clearance and protection is installed on the engine crankcase. As you may have guessed, large-unit assembly has been established at the Russian enterprise.

This means that ready-made units are brought to us. We control the production process no worse than in Munich, this is proven by the low percentage of defects among Vehicle. The most significant difference between domestic and German-assembled cars is that in Germany they assemble cars that are “richer” in terms of equipment and number of modifications. The cost of BMW cars in Russia is quite high. For the simplest model of the seventh series you will have to pay about 6 million rubles. If the situation does not change, the 7-Series may be removed from the assembly line.