Audi Announces First US Factory in Georgia at Trump Campaign Rally

Audi's decision comes under pressure from US tariffs. The Volkswagen division imports all the cars it sells in the United States from Europe or Mexico, according to NYT Politics, which reported that those tariffs have hit the company hard.

The factory plan would change that arrangement by establishing Audi's first US production site. The Financial Times reported that Audi and its parent Volkswagen are seeking relief from President Donald Trump's levies.

On October 24, Trump announced the planned assembly plant at a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, according to Reuters. The report put the investment at $4 billion and annual output at 200,000 SUVs.

Audi chief Gernot Döllner appeared at the campaign event, n-tv.de reported. Deutschlandfunk said Trump called him onto the stage after announcing the investment.

Audi also confirmed the investment in a release, according to The Hindu, which reported a $4.2 billion commitment and about 4,500 expected jobs. Coverage differs on the investment figure: Reuters described it as $4 billion, while Mint reported $4.2 billion.

Trump used the rally to defend his tariffs and credit them for the investment, according to the South China Morning Post. The Japan Times described the announcement as a political win for a president who has been defending the domestic effects of those tariffs.

This is an announced investment, not an operating factory. NDTV, citing Audi's release, reported that construction was scheduled to start next year, meaning 2027, with production beginning in the early 2030s.

That timing separates the immediate political benefit from the manufacturing timetable. Trump has an investment announcement ahead of the midterms; Audi's planned US vehicle production remains years away.

The next concrete milestone is the planned construction start in 2027, also reported by Mint. After that, the key test will be whether Audi meets its early 2030s production schedule and delivers the promised employment and annual SUV output.