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The Car Coach: VW factory tour in Wolfsburg, Germany
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The Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, one hour from Berlin, prides itself on being the largest auto plant in the world. Its adjacent “Autostadt” (car city) is a theme park dedicated to the automobile and offers everything car enthusiasts of all ages dream about.
Fans of the VW brand may feel like they have died and gone to heaven here. There is a huge car museum and several pavilions dedicated to the various VW cars. Embark on a glass elevator, which takes you to the top of the 160 feet high glass Car Tower. This tower holds up to 800 custom-ordered cars, which are picked up by their buyers fresh from the factory.
The Wolfsburg plant in North Germany is also the headquarters of the Volkswagen group. It is about three square miles and one of the largest and most advanced car factories in the world. It contains the largest state-of-the-art paint shop in Europe, the first to use eco-friendly water-based paints.
Many different cars are built in this plant, including the Tiguan, Golf and other models for European markets.
The press shop at Wolfsburg processes 1,500 metric tons of sheet metal every day. The sheet metal is cut and pre-stamped into special plates, then fully galvanized for body panels. The body shop is next in the production process. Various models can be built one after another on the same line with no major modifications or delay.
The paint shop achieves flawless results. After an intensive pre-treatment with all seams, folds and joints sealed, each car goes through to have sealants, color and protective layers applied.
The assembly line is where engines and features are brought together in precise configurations. After assembly, rigorous measurements, final adjustments and performance tests are carried out to ensure the quality our customers expect.
For most Volkswagens coming off the assembly line, the first big trip takes the form of a rail journey. If they prefer, European customers can take delivery of their new Volkswagen from the glass tower, delivered to them in a waiting area.
The factory tour in Wolfsburg is open to the public every day from Tuesday to Friday; tours last for two hours.
VW has a plant in Chattanooga, TN that offers plant tours as well. You don’t have to own a Volkswagen to enjoy a car factory. It’s great fun for the whole family.