BMW Brilliance
BMW Brilliance is an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Shenyang, China, and a joint venture between BMW and Brilliance Auto. Its principal activity is the production, distribution, and sale of BMW passenger cars in mainland China.
The BMW Brilliance Zinoro all-electric crossover, based on the BMW X1 (E84), is the first product of BMW Brilliance's brand and the first new energy vehicle from a Chinese premium manufacturer. Since early 2014, the Zinoro 1E is available for leasing only in Beijing and Shanghai.
History
On 27 March 2003 BMW and Brilliance Auto agreed to form a joint venture to produce BMW cars for the Chinese market, with BMW holding a 50 per cent stake, Brilliance Auto 40.5 per cent and the Shenyang municipal government 9.5 per cent. BMW and Brilliance agreed to invest an initial €450 million in the venture. The first Chinese-made BMW, a BMW 325, was sold in October 2003.In April 2009 BMW Brilliance announced that it would construct a second automobile assembly plant in China. Construction of the plant began in Shenyang in June 2010, with a planned cost of US$73.53 million and a production capacity of 100,000 units. Production at the plant began in May 2012.
In January 2011 BMW Brilliance announced that it would begin Chinese production of a BMW 5 series electric hybrid car later that year.
In 2013, BMW Brilliance opened a research and development centre. It was expanded in 2020, making it BMW's largest R&D centre outside of Germany.
In October 2018, BMW announced that it would increase its stake from 50% to 75%, making BMW the first foreign carmaker to take majority control of its joint venture in China.
In February 2022, BMW acquired a majority 75% stake in BMW Brilliance with Brilliance indirectly owning the remaining 25% of the company.
Products
BMW Brilliance currently produces the following vehicles:- BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé (F78)
- BMW 3 Series (G20/G28)
- BMW 5 Series (G68)
- BMW X1 (U12)
- BMW X3 (G48)
- BMW X5 (G18)
Former products
- BMW X1 (E84)
- BMW X1 (F49)
- BMW X2 (F39)
- BMW X3 (G01/G08)
- BMW 1 Series (F52)
- BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (F45)
- BMW 3 Series (E46)
- BMW 3 Series (E90)
- BMW 3 Series (F30/F35)
- BMW 5 Series (E60)
- BMW 5 Series (F18)
- BMW 5 Series (G38)