BMW Considering Adding Factory in Mexico

BMWBMWGermany, 1918 > present87 models
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43 videos
is considering adding a factory in Mexico. It would be its second factory North America since opening the plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 1994. BMW is reportedly looking at four different locations in Mexico to build the factory. BMW plans to use the factory for building the 3 SeriesBMW BMW 3 Series Gen.6 [F30/F31]Germany, 2012 > present115 versions
355 photos
1 video
for the Americas. It is in the process of negotiating with the Mexican government for tax breaks to open the factory. It plans to make a final decision in a year, and it would be ready to produce cars by 2016 or 2017. 

The leading location for the factory is Queretaro, which is located in the center of Mexico.

The factory may also produce the 1 SeriesBMW 1 Series Gen.2 [F20] Germany, 2011 > present130 versions
247 photos
GT in addition to the 3 Series. The factory will produce 40,000- 50,000 a year when it opens but eventually ramp up to 100,000 to 150,000 vehicles a year.

BMW sees Mexico as attractive to build cars because it has trade agreements with Canada, the US and parts of South America. Having 3 Series production in the Americas, Europe and China will lower freight costs and protect the company from regional currency fluctuations. 

German automakers are slowly expanding into the Americas. AudiAudiGermany, 1909 > present83 models
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27 videos
is planning to build a factory in Mexico, and Mercedes will begin building the C-ClassMercedes-Benz C-Class Gen.4Germany, 2007 > 2013188 versions
444 photos
at its factory in Vance, Alabama, in 2014.

BMW's Spartanburg factory has been a huge success. It has produced the X3BMW X3Germany, 2003 > present3 series
73 versions
122 photos
1 video
, X5BMW X5Germany, 1999 > present3 series
56 versions
133 photos
, X6BMW X6Germany, 2007 > 201324 versions
77 photos
4 videos
, Z4BMW Z4Germany, 2002 > present2 series
60 versions
122 photos
, Z3BMW Z3Germany, 1995 > 200217 versions
21 photos
and briefly built the 318iBMW 318is 16v Coupé Auto...Germany, 1992 > 19991 photo
from 1994-1996. It has recently begun an expansion to increase capacity to 350,000 by 2014. It built 276,065 cars there last year.

Source: Automotive News