Borgward Opens China Assembly Plant

Stuttgart-based Borgward Group AG says it is ready to begin production of its wide-bodied BX7 crossover—the company’s first new model in 54 years—at a factory in Beijing.

The 1.1 million sq-meter plant has initial annual capacity to make 160,000 vehicles, according to the company. Borgward, which established a China subsidiary earlier this month, claims it has lined up nearly 100 dealers in China and targets twice that number by the end of 2017.

The company’s ambitious plans are to introduce at least four other models and achieve annual sales of 500,000 units by 2020. Borgward unveiled prototypes of its BX5 small SUV and BX TS crossover at the Geneva auto show earlier this month.

Borgward was founded in 1929 and ceased operations in 1961. It is being revived by Beiqi Foton Motor Co. Ltd., the Beijing-based maker of trucks, buses and SUVs.

CEO is Ulrich Walker, former head of Daimler AG operations in northeast Asia, tells reporters the company will decide by year-end about adding production in Germany. He adds that Borgward plans to add plug-in hybrid and all-electric models in German-speaking countries at the end of 2017.