Audi announces $4bn US plant near Macon, Georgia

Audi, the premium brand of Germany's Volkswagen Group, announced plans for its first US assembly plant, to be built near Macon, Georgia. The investment was put at around $4 billion, though some reports cited $4.2 billion. The plant was designed to produce about 200,000 vehicles a year.

The news was first made public at a political rally in Georgia, where President Donald Trump credited his tariff policies for the decision. Audi chief executive Gernot Döllner joined him onstage and said the factory would build the company's biggest and most premium SUVs. Audi later said the plant would create about 4,500 jobs, with construction due to start in 2027 and production in the early 2030s.

The decision mattered because Audi had long imported all its US-sold cars from Europe and Mexico, leaving it exposed to US import tariffs. A local factory was meant to reduce that risk and strengthen its position in a key market. The announcement also came days before the US midterm elections, which gave it political weight in a closely contested state.