BMW’s Dingolfing, Germany plant celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, as it was first introduced to build the E12-generation 5 Series back in 1973. However, that isn’t the only milestone celebrated at Dingolfing this year. The plant officially built its 12 millionth car, which just so happened to be its most futuristic, the BMW iX.
Dingolfing isn’t BMW’s most productive plant. With around 282,000 cars built every year, it’s still shy of BMW’s much newer Spartanburg, South Carolina plant. However, it’s still trucking along, pumping out about 1,600 cars per day, many of which are either hybrids or fully electric vehicles. So despite its old bones, Dingolfing is actually quite high-tech and modern inside. It’s even carbon neutral, as it gets much of its electricity from hydropower.
“Our plant has stood for highly emotional automobiles, for innovation and quality for five decades. The key to our economic success is that we courageously shape the future – “50 YEARS OF FUTURE WAGEN” is therefore the motto of our anniversary year. The twelve millionth BMW from Dingolfing is exactly a symbol of this, because the BMW iX is an absolute technology carrier. It stands for the change to e-mobility and our departure into the next 50 years.” said Christoph Schröder, head of the Dingolfing plant.
The BMW iX is obviously built in Dingolfing, which is ironic given that the iX is the most cutting engine Bimmer of any on sale. Sure, the i7 is a bit flashier but the iX is the real-deal. It’s built on a bespoke, carbon fiber-extensive chassis, which isn’t shared by any other BMW (take that, XM), features BMW’s best electric drivetrain, and has the funkiest interior of any BMW ever. The one that marked 12 million cars from the plant was painted in Aventurine Red, which is one of BMW’s favorite colors at the moment.
BMW’s Dingolfing plat doesn’t only build iXs and other EVs. The next-gen 5 Series will be built there, along with the all-electric BMW i5. So despite being one of BMW’s oldest plants, it’s going to be one of the most important ones moving forward into the future.
Even more than just typical production, the Dingolfing plant also does specialty work. For instance, that’s where the ultra-limited BMW 3.0 CSL is painted. Same goes for the 8 Series by Jeff Koons art car, whose livery was designed by Koons but recreated in the paint booth at Dingolfing.
The Dingolfing plant has been around for 50 years and it shows no sign of slowing down. BMW’s continued investment into the plant proves that it could play an integral part in BMW’s manufacturing for another 50 years.
[Source: BimmerToday]
