Pirate BMW cars are being produced in Kaliningrad using pre-war components.
After Russia's war against Ukraine began, BMW left the Russian market. However, at the plant in Kaliningrad, which belonged to its former partner 'Avtotor', SUVs of the Bavarian manufacturer continue to be produced — without official permission. These fake BMWs are sold at the price of luxury cars, writes BILD.
According to Russian media, the cars are produced using components, the stock of which remained at former BMW plants since 2022.
'Avtotor' has been using them since the beginning of 2025: at its enterprises, BMW X5, X6, and X7 are being assembled again.
According to Auto Motor und Sport magazine, almost three times more locally produced BMW cars were registered in 2025 than in the previous year.
Notably, externally the cars correspond to 2022 models, although they are registered as 2025 or 2026 models.
Some details, however, differ: for example, the air intakes are smaller than in current models.
A BMW representative, in a comment for the United24 portal, called this production 'illegal'. In its statement, the Bavarian concern warns buyers against purchasing so-called 'pirate BMWs' and indicates that quality control has not been carried out since 2022.
Fake BMWs – More Expensive and Worse
As the stock of original parts for SUVs becomes increasingly limited, locally produced components are now reportedly also being used — for example, hoses, body elements, or cable harnesses.
The cars are no longer connected to official BMW systems, so many digital functions likely work partially or with different software.
For a fake BMW in Russia, 'Avtotor' asks for about 150,000 euros. For comparison: in Germany, a new X7 sells for approximately 105,000 euros.
Despite sanctions, interest in BMW cars in Russia remains high: according to Autostat data, approximately 42% more BMW cars were sold there in 2025 than in the previous year — a total of 16,700 cars. They enter the market, among other ways, through parallel import schemes via third countries.
Now reading
On Veachka Stankevich's grave, the monument has not a single word in Belarusian. This is what it says about emigrants, emigration, and the "Belarusianness of grandchildren" 145145
Comments
І крадуць, і крадзенае скупляюць)