- With 342,521 cars produced in 2024, Plant Regensburg was the BMW Group’s highest-volume vehicle plant in Europe
- Plant Director Armin Ebner: “New body shop will help meet high market demand” – with over 120 vehicle bodies produced per workday
- Preparations for next model generation
BMW Group Plant Regensburg commissioned a new body shop at Plant Site 6.12 (Neutraubling), attended by Regensburg’s local commissioner, Tanja Schweiger, and Neutraubling mayor, Harald Stadler. Plant Director Armin Ebner: “The BMW X1 and BMW X2 produced in Regensburg remain extremely popular with customers worldwide. In the new production hall in Neutraubling, we currently manufacture over 120 vehicle bodies per day, helping us meet high market demand.” Once completed, the bodies from Neutraubling are transported to the vehicle plant in Regensburg, where they are assembled into finished cars around the clock in three-shift operation.
Local Commissioner Tanja Schweiger: “In these increasingly challenging times, BMW continues to be a key player in the automotive industry. The decision to expand the body shop for these two best-selling models represents a clear strategy for the future and marks a significant positive development for the Regensburg district’s status as a location for industry.” Neutraubling Mayor Harald Stadler added: “The fact that you are expanding your plant here is a strong commitment to the location and shows that the economy feels at home with us. As mayor, I am also very proud when BMW vehicles with bodies ‘made in Neutraubling’ are on the roads all over the world.”
Regensburg: the BMW Group’s highest-volume European vehicle plant
Every 57 seconds, a new vehicle rolls off the Regensburg assembly line – adding up to more than 1,400 vehicles per day. With an annual production of 342,521 cars, Plant Regensburg was the BMW Group’s highest-volume vehicle plant in Europe in 2024, exceeding its 2023 production (238,301 units) by more than 100,000 vehicles. Over a third of the vehicles manufactured in Regensburg in 2024 were electrified, either as plug-in hybrids or fully-electric models. “We build our vehicles for the global market and contribute to the growth of electromobility,” emphasised Ebner.
Body shop expanded to approx. 40,000 m² – with about 150 employees
An approx. 40,000-square-metre hall on Berliner Straße was remodelled to accommodate the new body shop in Neutraubling. To the north, four smaller extensions were built, covering nearly 1,000 square metres. Around 150 employees currently work in the hall in a single shift. The production hall, which was built in 2003, is located on premises owned by the firm Preymesser. BMW previously rented this facility, using the space for logistics purposes.
In April 2024, the company successfully applied for a change of use from the town of Neutraubling and the Regensburg County Administration Office. “I would like to say a big thank to the authorities for approving this request and for the excellent support from the town and County Administration Office,” underlined Ebner.
Implemented in record time of less than 12 months – thanks to “tremendous team effort”
The new body shop was constructed in a record time of less than 12 months. “What we have achieved here in recent months is not only impressive because of the speed. The cooperation with all internal and external partners has been outstanding,” said Ebner, praising the “tremendous team effort of everyone involved”. Dismantling of the previous logistics facilities and construction of the new body shop went hand in hand. The first test bodies rolled off the assembly line in January and production ramped up in early March. A total of 294 robots are in use. 238 welding guns set up to 4,771 welding points per vehicle body. As part of the capacity expansion, BMW X1 bodies will no longer be produced solely in the existing body shop in Regensburg, but also in Neutraubling.
Preparations for next model generation
With an investment of over 550 million euros in the past two years, the BMW Group has also secured the long-term future of both Upper Palatinate locations: Regensburg and Wackersdorf. Plant Director Armin Ebner: “This signals our firm commitment to Upper Palatinate as as location for industry.” At the same time as building current models, BMW Group Plant Regensburg is already preparing for production of the next model generation.
“With the NEUE KLASSE, the company aims to set new standards for digitalisation, electrification and circularity – and we are gearing up for this in Regensburg as well,” said Ebner. During the production break over the New Year period, remodelling at the plant continued in the body shop, paint shop and vehicle assembly. Further, more extensive structural measures will follow during a five-week production downtime in summer 2025.
“FACTORY OF THE YEAR” award recognises outstanding performance
Numerous accolades for the plant and vehicle models built in Regensburg have confirmed the location’s outstanding performance in recent years. Just a few days ago, the Plant Regensburg team was presented with the “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” 2024 award in the category “excellent large-series assembly” at a congress in Ludwigsburg. The award is regarded as one of Germany’s most prestigious industrial competitions.
The judges noted that “the innovation and dynamism with which Plant Regensburg is implementing the transformation towards the iFACTORY, together with the entire workforce, is highly impressive. In particular, the flexibility in both the factory set-up and among its employees is exemplary and serves as inspiration for successful production in Germany.”
