Porsche and BMW are brands that often share the spotlight. Thanks to a similar focus on motorsport, driver engagement, and performance, there’s a lot of crossover in fans, too. So, perhaps it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Teutons have in fact shared even a production space, though now nearly thirty years ago. Way back in 1995, the boys in Stuttgart tapped into BMW’s burgeoning global presence to jump start Porsche’s presence in Mexico — and the factory they used apparently brought some very interesting models in to the world.
BMW Toluca (Briefly) Became Porsche Toluca, Too
Way back in 1995 (yes, that was really 30 years ago), BMW opened their first Mexico-based assembly plant in Lerma, Toluca, Mexico. Here, like in many other markets, BMW imported components in order for final assembly to take place in a country with otherwise unfriendly tariffs and taxes.
Here, BMW assembled 3 Series and 5 Series cars, fairly pedestrian models for local and global consumption. Porsche clearly thought that sounded like a great idea, and the following year, started doing exactly the same thing at exactly the same plant. A limited production of around 75 units marked the first time that Porsche assembled vehicles outside of Germany. It was also a historic moment in automaker collaboration. Don’t worry: it gets a lot more interesting.
As time marched on and BMW’s assembly presence grew, Toluca’s focus changed. Perhaps the most interesting BMW model assembled there would be the E70 X5 Security Plus in 2009. For those unfamiliar, BMW routinely outfits higher-trim models with bulletproof glass, Kevlar, re-tuned suspension components, and a whole lot more.
These super safe vehicles, usually SUVs and 5 or 7 Series models, are perfect for, well, the kind of people you’d expect to need an armored vehicle to get around. As it turns out, Porsche might have borrowed more than just the facilities when they were building 911s in Mexico. Because at least one Porsche 911 Carrera model also received the security treatment by clandestine customer order.
You may have heard that there’s only one armored 911 out there — the Dragonfly Turquoise car that made the rounds a few years ago — and that may well be true. But one source indicates around 100 were made. Let’s be honest, it would be in the client’s best interest for people to believe only one ever left the factory. Regardless, the armored 996 featured a lot of the same stuff you find in the BMW Security models, like ultra-thick glass and a body clad in bullet-deflecting material. In this case, it’s Dyneema.
BMW’s Plant Allowed Porsche to Jump Start Mexico Distribution
Regardless of how many bulletproof 996 models came out of Toluca, Porshce’s utilization of BMW’s plant set the Zuffenhausen automaker up for success. Mexico requires automakers to manufacture vehicles inside the country’s borders before distributing, and this was just the loophole Porsche needed. A pilot Mexico City dealership gave birth to the nearly 50 Porsche dealerships throughout Mexico and South America, including almost a dozen stores in Mexico alone. Would Porsche be sold in Latin America without BMW’s help? Probably. But BMW sure did expedite things.
