Many of the people who sold land for the BMW plant are related to Mr. Davis.

Eastern Germany's problems, however, will not be solved by yet another BMW plant.

The Europeans are foreigners in both markets, and aside from a new BMW plant in South Carolina, they do not manufacture in either.

He made his pitch at a gleaming, humming, high-tech BMW plant that has created 2,000 new jobs in less than three years.

During a recent tour of the BMW plant, he stood in a busy intersection and waited for workers to approach him rather than reaching for their hands as they passed.

Before the BMW plant was planned, the owner would have been lucky to get $75,000 for the entire tract, Mr. Mayo said.

"I was impressed with how organized and clean the BMW plant is," he said.

Mrs. Corley, an eight-year employee, said she had interviewed at a nearby company that is a supplier to the BMW plant.

Greenville, S.C., the site of a new BMW plant, recorded gains of 16.1 percent.

It's as big as a Mercedes or a BMW plant coming to the area.