BMW X1 SUV to be produced in China by JV partner Brilliance

Brilliance/Zhonghua Auto | Ash | March 5, 2010 at 12:39 am

Recently BMW and its JV partner Brilliance announced that their Chinese factory would stop production of the 3-series sedan and imports would pick up the sales slack until the factory comes back online. The new factory will becoming back online with an increased capacity for a new range of models, one of which will be the BMW X1 SUV.

The X1 will go up against the soon to be launched Audi Q5 in China and also the VW Tiguan SUV which have all entered the premium compact SUV segment in recent months through import methods, but all will be built in China by the end of the year, the Tiguan will launch very soon.

The Chinese automotive media is speculating that BMW-Brilliance will expand the line up to include the BMW 1 Series, the BMW X1 SUV, and also the MINI although the latter is unlikely to leave its traditional UK production line and may just be speculation at this stage.

A lengthened BMW 3-Series is being planned to take on the unbeatable Audi A4 which broke away with massive sales thanks to its Audi A4L model. The stretched 3-Series will launch in China in August 2010.

Ash

Ash came to China at 18 on a whim and never left. Some 10 years later he collected a degree and a family along the way and now focuses his time on watching the Chinese car industry develop. He has witnessed the market change from being minor backyard market in to the world's biggest and most important market for all car manufacturers. You can contact or connect with him via Linkedin by clicking the 'Website' link.

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