20 Years BMW Group Plant Leipzig:
A Site That Makes the Future Possible.

20 years of series production, political congratulations, and a plant that shapes the region: BMW Group Plant Leipzig has created over 6,600 jobs, invested more than €5.6 billion – and is now planning further millions for future vehicle generations. In its anniversary year 2025, the four-millionth vehicle has rolled off the line – a double reason to celebrate for the Saxon site. As the plant heads for a new production record, it demonstrates how industrial strength, innovation, and regional impact combine to create a strong vision for the future.

While the economy faces headwinds in many places, the BMW Group is making a bold statement in Leipzig: for 20 years, its plant in the north of the city has been building cars – and today more than ever proves that industrial strength in Germany is alive and well. Representatives from politics, business, and society recognised the anniversary as a driving force for the entire region, including State Secretary Barbara Meyer for the Free State of Saxony and Leipzig's Mayor Burkard Jung (SPD).

Series production started in March 2005 in the Saxon metropolis. Over €5.6 billion in investments and 6,680 BMW Group jobs later, one thing is clear: Leipzig is far more than a production site – it is an industrial ecosystem where over 11,600 people work together in sync with a state-of-the-art plant every day. The latest milestone in the anniversary year: on the 8th of December 2025, the four-millionth vehicle rolled off the line – a BMW 1 Series in the BMW individual color Anglesey Green for a customer in the Netherlands.

Leipzig is the only BMW Group plant that produces BMW and MINI models on the same line – including all drive variants: combustion, hybrid, electric. This flexibility is a logistical masterpiece, comparable to a stage where a different ensemble performs every day – and yet every show runs flawlessly.

Operating in a three-shift system around the clock, the plant is heading for another production record in 2025. 2024 was already a peak year with 246,195 vehicles. Together with the other German BMW Group plants, more than one million vehicles are expected again this year – a quarter of all BMW Group cars produced in Germany.

With this development, Leipzig continues to grow in its role as a strategically important production site. Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production, emphasizes the plant’s significance: “Leipzig stands for innovation and digitalisation and has proven this again and again for 20 years. Thanks to its high flexibility and efficiency, the Leipzig plant is a key pillar for our commitment to Germany as a strong location within the global production network.” His message is clear: Leipzig is not just part of the network – it sets the pace.

Plant Director Petra Peterhänsel highlights Leipzig’s pioneering role: “We have paved the way for innovation here in Leipzig several times. This includes the BMW i3 as BMW’s first electric vehicle. Another example is the use of hydrogen in our intralogistics and the preparation for its future use in the paint shop.”

Looking ahead, she adds: “We are currently preparing our plant for future vehicle generations. Therefore, we are investing a three-digit million amount in expanding and upgrading our facilities and structures. This is how we set the course for our future and secure the competitiveness of the Leipzig site.” Her statement makes one thing clear: here, innovation is not a project – it’s a principle.

Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) underlines the plant’s importance for Saxony by emphasizing the close ties between company and region after more than two decades: “With this anniversary, we celebrate more than just the success of a global corporation – we celebrate the close partnership between BMW and our region. Today, the plant in Leipzig stands for innovation, excellent training, and sustainable production. It has played a major role in positioning Saxony as a leading automotive location in Germany and Europe.”

The message is clear: this plant is more than a production site – it is a location factor of European relevance.

Mayor Burkhard Jung also emphasizes the importance for Leipzig: “We are very happy that the city’s largest industrial employer can look back on a 20-year success story today – and also look to the future with optimism. The employees benefit from this, of course, but also the entire city.”

Every day, up to 1,300 vehicles roll off the assembly line in Leipzig: BMW 1 Series, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and the MINI Countryman. But what has been built here goes far beyond that: a site that proves industrial transformation is possible – and can even be fun when approached with courage. The first 20 years were just the beginning; the next will write the future of mobility.