German automakers looks to expand U.S. market share

WSJ: Volkswagen, BMW preparing to accelerate manufacturing here

By Plant Engineering Staff January 5, 2009

While Detroit struggles with plant closings and figures out how the federal bailout loans can help them regain market share from Asian automakers, there’s a new challenger on the horizon — Germany.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting how German automakers are building new plants in America — including BMW’s Spartanburg, SC plant , named Plant Engineering’s 2007 Top Plant winner — as a way to build U.S. market share.

Volkswagen has already announced its new plant outside of as a way to boost U.S. sales to more than 1 million cars, and BMW is expanding the Spartanburg plant after retooling it just two years ago.