PERRY, Georgia / EuroWire.IO / – Audi plans to invest $4.2 billion in its first manufacturing plant in the United States, President Donald Trump announced on October 24. The factory will be built near Macon, Georgia, and is expected to produce premium SUVs for the North American market. Trump made the announcement at a campaign rally in Perry ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. He said the plant would produce 200,000 cars a year.
Georgia officials said the facility is expected to create about 4,500 jobs once fully built out. It will be located at the Middle Georgia Megasite in Peach County, near Fort Valley. The state acquired the site in 2022 with the aim of attracting an automaker to the region. Bibb, Houston and Peach counties each pledged $7 million to prepare and market the site. Audi is owned by Germany’s Volkswagen Group.
Trump said construction could begin as early as next month. Audi’s own release gives a later schedule, with construction scheduled to start in 2027 and production in the early 2030s, according to the Associated Press. Trump described the project as the largest investment in modern US auto industry history. He also pointed to a wider $40 billion in auto industry investments that he said would create 30,000 jobs.
Audi chief backs long-term US commitment
Audi Chief Executive Gernot Döllner joined Trump on stage alongside Audi North America President Vito Paladino. Döllner said the investment was a fantastic opportunity for Audi, its team and the United States. He said the company plans to build its biggest and most premium SUVs in Georgia. Döllner described the project as a long-term investment, citing Audi’s belief in the American market. Trump credited Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick with helping to secure the deal.
Trump credited his tariff policies for the decision, saying the company would not have come without them. Audi’s release did not refer to tariffs. The carmaker currently has no production in the US and supplies the market with imported vehicles. Its parent group already operates a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The European Union has also put in place new tariff rules this year under its trade arrangement with the United States.
Georgia project lands days before midterms
The announcement came during a rally for Republican candidates in Georgia. They include Representative Mike Collins, who is challenging Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Rick Jackson, the Republican candidate for governor, called it the biggest economic deal in Georgia history. Governor Brian Kemp did not attend the rally. In a statement, he said the project was the result of careful planning by the state. Republicans are seeking to unseat Ossoff and keep control of the governor’s office.
The plant would add to Georgia’s growing automotive base. Hyundai already operates a large manufacturing site near Savannah. Audi’s SUV range includes the Q9, its largest model, which was unveiled in July. Audi has not yet confirmed which models will be built in Georgia. The size of any state incentive package was not disclosed. On Friday, Trump also announced a $275 million initiative in Florida to recruit and retain nurses in nursing homes.