21:09 10-05-2026
Seven million in China — and the next million will be the hardest
BMW is preparing to roll its seven-millionth Chinese-built car off the line in 2026, but sales are falling fast against tougher local competition.
BMW is preparing for a milestone in China: in 2026 the seven-millionth locally built car of the brand should roll off the line. Production in the country started back in 2004 at the Dadong plant in Shenyang, and in 2012 the Tiexi site was added.
Today these facilities turn out a broad range of models for the local market. Dadong builds the 5 Series/i5, iX3 and X5. Tiexi makes the 2 Series, 3 Series, i3, X1, iX1 and X3. In 2025 the two plants together produced almost 540,000 cars — around 22% of BMW’s total global output. But behind the headline figure, there is a problem.
China remains BMW Group’s biggest market, accounting for 25.4% of sales. For comparison, Germany contributes only 11.7%. Yet demand is sliding: together with MINI, BMW has shed around 200,000 sales in China over two years, falling to roughly 626,000 cars in 2025.
The peak came in 2021, when the two brands handed over 847,900 vehicles to customers. The reason is clear: local manufacturers have become too strong. Chinese brands roll out electric cars faster, offer more screens, assistants and smart functions, and often cost less. A premium badge alone no longer convinces buyers the way it used to.
Customers want technology, not just status. BMW’s answer is deeper localisation. The company is preparing special Neue Klasse versions for China: long-wheelbase i3 and iX3. These models were developed with input from local R&D teams and partners, designed to fit Chinese customer expectations.
It is not only about a longer wheelbase, but also about a richer interior, a digital ecosystem, a voice assistant and automated driving solutions. BMW chief Oliver Zipse openly talks about a “think global, act local” principle. For the brand, this is no longer a slogan but a necessity. Without Chinese technology, quick decisions and local adaptation, competing with the new players becomes ever harder.
Seven million cars is a powerful symbol for BMW in China. But the next million will matter more than the previous ones: it will have to be earned not on old reputation, but on products able to fight local brands on their own turf.