BMW Motorrad's first plant outside Germany begins production in Brazil

BMW Motorrad's first fully-owned motorcycle production facility outside Germany has become operational in Manaus, Brazil. BMW F 700 GS will be the first motorcycle to be rolled off the production line. The new plant in Brazil will produce nine motorcycle models.

The plant, with an annual capacity of 10,000 motorcycles, will roll out BMW F 800 GS, BMW F 800 GS Adventure, BMW F 800 R, BMW R 1200 GS, BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, BMW S 1000 R, BMW S 1000 RR and BMW S 1000 XR this year.

"BMW Motorrad is expanding its motorcycle production globally to achieve sustainable business growth. Brazil remains an important market for this strategy and we see great potential in this country over the mid and long term. This is why we have decided to construct our first 100 percent BMW Group-owned motorcycle plant outside of Germany in Manaus," Stephan Schaller, the president of BMW Motorrad, said.

The plant has already hired more than 175 employees and is working together with over 45 local suppliers. Spread over an area of around 10,000 sqm, the new plant took about nine months to get completed.

"We are very proud that BMW Motorrad has achieved market leadership in the segment over 500 cc this year. We are even prouder to have started production at the new BMW Group plant in Brazil. This is already the second plant in Brazil, following the automobile production plant in Araquari," Helder Boavida, the president and CEO of BMW Group Brazil, said.

German motorcycle manufacturer BMW Motorrad is also expected to make its India entry soon. According to latest news, BMW Motorrad will become operational in the country in early 2017. Its entry into the Indian market will also see the arrival of the highly anticipated model, G 310 R, which has been developed in association with TVS Motor Company.