To meet growing demand in Thailand, BMW is spending nine million euros (RM38.6 million) to expand its plant and upgrade its logistics system in the Land of Smiles, Bangkok Post reports.
"The new investment will go mainly to expand production of passenger cars and motorcycles at Rayong's Amata City Industrial Estate," said Jeffrey Gaudiano, MD of BMW Manufacturing Thailand.
The Munich-based company plans to up production of passenger cars to 10,000 units in 2015 from 8,880 this year, with the motorcycle division set to churn out 1,000 units next year. Rayong is the only location in BMW's global network with full operations for the group's three brands - BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad.
The Thai-assembled BMW F 800 R and F 800 GS are now in Malaysia, priced from RM63,800
Rayong rolls out the BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X1 and X3 models. Next to join the Thai CKD list are the 3-Series, 3-Series Gran Turismo and the X5. Production of the Mini Countryman started last August.
On the motorcycle front, BMW assembles the F 800 R and F 800 GS models in Thailand. Both the 798 cc parallel-twin bikes are now available in Malaysia, at lower price tags of RM63,800 and RM73,900, respectively. There's also a Low Seat Variant of the adventure bike (the GS), and that goes for RM76,900. BMW Motorrad shifted 400 units in Thailand last year, a 38% growth.
