18%. That was the share electric vehicles had in BMW Group sales last year. Although an all-time high, it still leaves 82% of cars powered by combustion engines. Pure ICE models continue to make up the vast majority of demand. Consequently, engine factories remain a core activity for the automotive conglomerate. In 2026, Plant Hams Hall celebrates a milestone: 25 years of engine production.
The British facility builds the largest-displacement engines sold by BMW Group: V8s for BMW and V12s for Rolls-Royce. Fun fact: the V8 is shared with a couple of Land Rover products, as some Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Defender versions feature eight cylinders of Bavarian origin. In addition, three- and four-cylinder gasoline engines powering a wide range of BMW and MINI models are also produced in the UK.
Since becoming operational in 2001, BMW Group’s Hams Hall plant has manufactured more than 7.6 million engines. Production initially focused on four-cylinder units before expanding to V8s and V12s in 2022. These large-displacement engines will be upgraded to meet Euro 7 standards, ensuring they remain part of the company’s lineup.
However, we wouldn’t hold our breath for a V12 revival in a BMW or BMW ALPINA model. Our sources say the twelve-cylinder powerhouse is likely to remain exclusive to Rolls-Royce. Speaking of Group brands, Hams Hall has also been producing engines for MINI since 2006.
Hams Hall isn’t the only BMW Group facility where engines come to life. Inline-six gasoline and diesel powertrains are built in Steyr, Austria. The B57 and B58 engines are also used by the Ineos Grenadier SUV and pickup, while the outgoing Toyota Supra and the Morgan Plus Six feature variants of the B58. Steyr is BMW Group’s largest engine plant, and it also produces the sixth-generation electric motors for the new iX3 Neue Klasse SUV.
Elsewhere, the historic Munich plant manufactures engine components for V8 and V12 engines. Plant Landshut, meanwhile, is responsible for what BMW refers to as “special engines” used in limited-run models.
We haven’t forgotten about China. BMW Group also builds engines in the world’s largest car market through its joint venture with the Brilliance Auto Group, supplying a variety of locally produced models, most of which are sold with extended wheelbases.
