Audi Commits $4 Billion for First U.S. Assembly Plant in Georgia

Audi is finally setting up shop on American soil.

The German luxury brand announced plans to invest $4 billion in building its first-ever U.S. manufacturing facility in Georgia. Slated to break ground next year, the plant will create 4,500 jobs and boast an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles once it begins rolling out metal in the early 2030s.

For a brand that has spent decades relying on transatlantic shipping to supply American showrooms, putting down roots in the States marks a massive shift. Local assembly gets vehicles closer to buyers, eliminates shipping logistics across the ocean, and shields Audi from painful import tariffs—even if local sourcing requirements will still dictate the bottom line.

Large SUVs Slated for American Assembly Lines

While Audi hasn't formally rubber-stamped specific nameplates just yet, leadership stated the Georgia plant will build "premium SUVs tailored to North American customers."

That wording leaves little to the imagination. The prime candidates are the next-generation Q7 and the upcoming full-size Q9, both of which broke cover earlier this year. Because the Georgia site won't be online for at least five years, both three-row haulers will initially ship out of the Volkswagen Group’s Bratislava plant in Slovakia before shifting stateside as mid-cycle facelifts.

The Q8 stands as another likely candidate for local production. Audi recently confirmed its swoopier, coupe-style utility will return for a second generation, and since it shares the Q7's core architecture and underpinnings, adding it to the Georgia line would be an easy mechanical fit.