American Audiphiles can rest assured that their future four-ringed purchases will be Made in Germany and not somewhere in what is sometimes euphemistically called “North America.” Plans to build an Audi plant over here have been put on ice for an indefinite period. Worries about a tainted Aryan Audi race (in the motorsports connotation, of course) can be put aside. “We don’t need an American plant to reach our goal of 1.5m Audis a year by 2015,” said Audi Boss Rupert Stadler to Automobilwoche [sub]. “We could build a car in the U.S. in six months,” said Stadler, referring to the VW plant in Chattanooga. “Building a plant somewhere in the boonies would take three years.” And what’s the real reason?
The weak Euro. At the current rate, it’s simply more profitable to use plentiful capacities at home and ship the whole thing, than starting production in the U.S., while powertrains would have to be shipped from Germany anyway.
The weak Euro is a windfall for the export heavy German auto industry. Motormouth Ferdinand Dudenhöffer thinks the fx-effect will bring an additional €2b to the bottom line of the German auto makers this year alone. Ferdi is often wrong, but in this case, he might be somewhat on target. In any case: Should Europe bring its house in order while the dollar deteriorates (my long term bet), Audi can always build a few cars in Chattanooga. Chasing currency exchange rates with car plants is risky business.
The Audi TT is built in Hungary as are almost the entire range of Audi engines…so pure German except for the ones that are already Hungarian.
…and many of the engines are made in the Czech Republic. But Euro-snobs snobs rejoice – only overpaid German labor will do the final assembly.
Gyor is attached to Ingolstadt via the Automotive Anschluss.
Not to mention the working masses in China …
I just hear wait time for an (imported) Q5 can be up to a year in the PRC, with heavy dealer mark-ups over MSRP for ‘expedited delivery.’
Simultaneous overcapacity and scarcity in the Auto World !
Yesterday I pulled a part number from a Tyco connector from a boost pressure sensor on a B8 A4. Made in China.
Tyco manufactures in over 25 countries. What’s your point?
Before I bought my A3 I drove a VW GTI. There is a difference. Now is it was worth the money? I guess you have to decide, but I have no complaints after 40,000+ miles.
“Made in Germany”? Bollocks!
Audi A3 Made in Belgium
Audi Q5 Made in Slovakia
Audi Q7 Made in Slovakia
Audi TT Made in Hungary.
A1 is also in Belgium. Q3 will be built in Spain.
A4, A5, A6, A8 and R8 are still built in Ingolstadt or Neckarsulm. Probably A7, too.
Er, Cammy, that’s “Made in Germany” as per the borders of the Teutonic co-prosperity sphere in 1941.
… now renamed to “EU27”