300. That’s how many special colors BMW offers through its vast Individual catalog. The German luxury brand has also ventured into two-tone cars, with examples like the 3.0 CSL and M4 CS Edition VR46. And there’s more on the way. A new €30-million investment in Dingolfing will fund a southern extension of the paint shop to handle complex exterior finishes.
BMW will have up to 10 people working in a dedicated team at what it calls the new “Centre for Special and Individual Paintwork.” Construction will cover over 2,000 square meters across two levels, starting next month, with operations scheduled to begin in spring 2027. This is where bodies will receive contrast colors and door stripes, as well as other custom finishes. All these flourishes will be applied the old-fashioned way, by hand.
The first coat of colored paint and the final clear varnish will still be applied during series production. BMW expects the time required to paint a car in an Individual color to drop by 25%, which should also shorten delivery times. Production costs are projected to “fall noticeably,” though that doesn’t necessarily mean Individual paints will be cheaper from 2027. Currently, a two-tone upgrade for a 7 Series can cost as much as €12,000.
Dingolfing is BMW Group’s busiest European production site. The 4 Series Coupe/Convertible, 5 Series, 7 Series, and 8 Series are all built there, along with their derivatives. The iX is also produced at this plant, which is rumored to begin assembling the 3 Series (G50) next year. The next 3er might end up as a sedan-only affair. Insiders cast doubt on the Touring (G51) going into production, though nothing is official.
It’s worth wondering whether the paint shop upgrade also ties into ALPINA. With the Buchloe-based brand set to start its new life under BMW’s corporate umbrella in 2026, the rumored 7 Series facelift-based model could benefit from bespoke exterior finishes.
The second-generation X7 will also get the ALPINA treatment, although the three-row SUV will be assembled in Spartanburg. In the meantime, the current-gen luxobarge has adopted the two-tone look for a Japan-only special edition.