PERRY, Georgia / EuroWire.IO / – President Donald Trump has unveiled plans by Audi to build a car factory in Georgia capable of producing 200,000 vehicles a year. Speaking at a campaign rally in Perry on Saturday, October 24, Trump said the German carmaker had committed $4.2 billion to the project. The plant near Macon would be Audi’s first manufacturing facility in the United States. It is set to build premium SUVs.
According to state officials, the factory will employ at least 4,500 people when fully built out. The site is the Middle Georgia Megasite, on the eastern edge of Fort Valley in Peach County. Georgia bought the land in mid-2022 in partnership with the Development Authority of Peach County. The site covers about 1,100 acres and can be expanded to around 2,400 acres. Three counties pledged $7 million each to market it.
Trump said work could start as early as next month and called the project the largest investment in the modern history of the US car industry. Audi’s announcement sets out a longer timeline. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with production starting in the early 2030s. Trump also cited $40 billion in wider auto industry investment that he said would create 30,000 jobs. Audi’s release puts the number of jobs at about 4,500.
Döllner says Audi believes in US market
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner and Audi North America President Vito Paladino joined Trump on stage at the rally. Döllner called the plant a fantastic opportunity for Audi, its staff and America. He said the company plans to produce its biggest and most premium SUVs in Georgia. Döllner said the investment was long-term because Audi believes in the American market. Trump thanked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for his role in the deal.
Trump linked the decision to his tariff policies. Audi’s own release did not mention tariffs. The brand, part of the Volkswagen Group, currently sells imported cars in the United States. Volkswagen already builds vehicles at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Trade between Europe and the United States is now governed by new tariff rules adopted by the EU this year following a 2025 joint statement.
Rally backs Republican candidates in Georgia
The announcement came at a rally supporting Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Trump backed Representative Mike Collins in his race against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Republican governor candidate Rick Jackson described the Audi plant as the biggest economic deal in Georgia history. Governor Brian Kemp, who did not attend, said the project followed careful planning by the state. Georgia bought and improved the megasite to attract an automaker, he said.
The project would bring another major carmaker to Georgia, where Hyundai already has a large plant near Savannah. Audi has not confirmed which models will be produced at the site. Its current SUV range is led by the Q9, a full-size luxury model unveiled in July. Trump also used a rally in Florida on Friday to announce a $275 million plan to recruit and retain nurses in nursing homes.