BMW M2 Could Be Assembled In Russia

In spite of falling sales in Russia, BMW will launch the new M2 Coupe in Russia this month and it could be assembled there. BMW sales declined 22.6 percent from prior-year in 2015 and were down 22.5 percent through February, according to WardsAuto data. Even though it’s an iffy sales proposition, M2 will make its dealer launch there. It could also be getting another birth place.

BMW scraps plans for a new plant

The new M2 performance coupe could actually be assembled in Russia by a company called Avtotor, a contract assembler for BMW and several other global car companies. BMW had plans for a Russian plant that would build 55,000 cars a year, raising capacity to 80 000 units by 2017. But economic woes in Russia have forced the German automaker to change their plans.

According to the report, more than half of the cars BMW sold in Russia in 2015 were assembled by Avtotor. The only place the M2 Coupe gets built now is at the Bavarian automaker’s Leipzig plant in Germany. The first models rolled off the assembly line in October last year. But that could be changing if M2 sales are hot in Russia like they are around the globe.

M2 CKD

They are called CKD cars (Completely Knocked Down) when they leave Germany. CKD is a vehicle which is imported in parts and not as one assembled unit. Like other automakers, BMW would ship the new M2 in pieces to Russia and then Avtotor would assemble the car at their plant in Russia. This saves BMW money because they don’t have to build a whole new plant. It also creates jobs in the importing country.

The all-new BMW M2 could be getting a new birth place outside of Germany if plans in Russia work out. If the performance coupes are assembled there, they will for the Russian market only. BMW launches the new M2 this month even though it’s an iffy sales proposition.

Source: WardsAuto

Image source: Denis Flierl