Audi's $4bn Georgia plant: 4,500 jobs, but whose figures?

Audi AG will build its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Georgia, on a 1,474-acre "mega site" in Peach County along Georgia Highway 96 near Interstate 75. The company says the project represents an investment of around $4 billion, roughly 4,500 jobs, and capacity for up to 200,000 vehicles a year.

President Donald Trump announced the plans at a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday, October 24, 2026, appearing alongside Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. Gov. Brian Kemp and Döllner then announced the project in a follow-up media release, calling it a major expansion of the German automaker's U.S. presence. Audi's own release is dated October 25, 2026.

The numbers are not identical across those announcements. Trump said Audi would commit $4.2 billion in nearby Macon for a plant producing 200,000 cars a year, and credited his tariff policies for the decision. Audi's release puts the figure at around $4 billion. The difference between the two figures has not been explained.

The timelines also differ by source. Audi says construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with production planned for the early 2030s. WGXA reports site grading beginning in 2027, construction in 2028, and full production in 2031. The plant will build premium SUVs designed for North American customers.

For Georgia, the commitment is substantial: billions in investment and thousands of promised jobs on a site already positioned for auto manufacturing. For Audi, building in the world's second-largest premium market is a growth play. The company frames the move as establishing North America as a third major pillar of its global production network alongside Europe and China.

The rally-stage rollout ties the project to a political narrative about tariffs and American manufacturing ahead of the midterm elections. That framing will shape how the deal is debated, separate from what the plant itself will do.

Several questions remain open. Audi's release describes the site as its first U.S. production site; the sources do not say what other U.S. automotive plants the company operates.