BMW has announced the start of production of the new 8 Series Coupé at Plant Dingolfing, after investing an amount in the “low three-digit-million” euro range in the facility.
The Munich-based brand’s new flagship coupé was unveiled in mid-June, and is expected to launch in South Africa (exclusively in M850i xDrive guise) in the first quarter of 2019.
BMW says the new 8 Series is being built alongside the 5 Series and 7 Series, and features a “clever mix” of lightweight materials for the body, including steel, plastic, aluminium and carbon-fibre.
In addition to the supporting structures at the front and rear of the vehicle, other components, such as the roof, doors, bonnet and the front firewall are fashioned from aluminium. The roof, though, is also available in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, which is manufactured at Dingolfing, too.
Interestingly, the brand says “a large number of digital innovations” have furthermore been integrated into the production process, including self-driving transport systems and smart devices. For example, in door assembly, parts are delivered to the line by autonomous tugger trains, while on the finish line, robots measure gaps and misalignments.
“As the plant that builds the BMW 7 Series sedans, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing has outstanding expertise in producing vehicles for the luxury segment. We are optimally prepared for production of the new BMW 8 Series Coupé. I am sure our customers around the world will love this luxury sports car,” said Dr. Andreas Wendt, head of BMW Group Plant Dingolfing.
