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99 Comments
- Solstice, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It's too bad that the Phaeton was an ill-conceived and overpriced vehicle. The W12 model stickers for just under $100k! It's sold so badly that they're being discontinued next year. VW dumped too much money into this thing and not enough into their bread and butter cars that people actually bought like the Jetta and the Passat.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Re-hosted just in case
Here
if that doesn't work
[url=http://www.stecplanet.com/stecplanet/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=1]Here[/url - acontorer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2gorkish said: "BTW Where is the step where VW actually runs the engine on this new machine to make sure it actually WORKS? Every BMW off the line will see redline in every gear before they will ship it out."
From TFA: "The next process after this will be testing the car, on both dynamometers and on the test-track underneath the factory." It's not pictured, but is mentioned plainly. - stonebear, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Dresden... Isn't that the City the Allies firebombed to ashes just for kicks and grins? Nice to see what they are accomplishing these days. Would that the US rust belt could experience such turnabout.
American car companies are so corrupt and inefficient that even Daimler-Benz could not turn one around. Anyone want to buy Chrysler cheap? Hmmm ... Maybe the Chinese? :^D - secondmode, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Actually, hospitals aren't that clean.. ;)
- agarc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"It's too bad that the Phaeton was an ill-conceived and overpriced vehicle. The W12 model stickers for just under $100k! It's sold so badly that they're being discontinued next year. VW dumped too much money into this thing and not enough into their bread and butter cars that people actually bought like the Jetta and the Passat."
The Phaeton was never meant to sell as far as numbers go. It was meant to demonstrate. And the technology was put to good use. As a flagship model, many components of the Phaeton have been and will continue to trickle down into other VW models (have you seen the new Passat yet?). - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Passats are made in Germany, 2 plants there... one of them is taking up after the Mexican plant since it is doing so well, the 2005.5+ Jettas have been very well made. All Jettas are now made in Mexico. Brazil makes a lot of the Golfs, but not all of them.
The plant in Mexico is really doing a great job to be honest. They have been trying some new things down there that have worked out really good, to the point where the Germans are taking note and have copied the Mexicians... .go figure.
Side note, if you get a new Jetta and open the hood and see dust/grit around in there... that comes from an active volciano that is like 20 miles from the plant. Cars made when it is more active get a fine layer of dust on them (dealers wash/details cars though when sold).
As for the cost of a Phaeton, dollar for dollar, you get more car/features than you do a MB or BMW. Name any other car with a 12 cyclinder for under 6 figures..... VW never expected to have major sales of the Phaeton, they knew going in it would be a very small market. It is another stepping stone for the long term goal of moving the product line upscale (Passat W8 was the first). - Ghazi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"At least american cars are made in America, and the american companies are really kicking ass in the dependibility area nowdays."
Even "ridiculous" is an understatement for what you just said. - howdesign, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I toured the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, KY last year with a couple buds and that place looked like your typical dark, dank, factory with the exception of the bad ass vehicles they were producing. Don't remember it being too dirty, but it couldn't hold a candle to this plant (and I assume many foreign plants).
- acontorer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1FYI, you can read a third-party report on this car (the VW Phaeton) on the Fifth Gear website:
http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=201&model=906&description=Volkswagen%20Phaeton
I could not find a video there to download, but at least there is written info you can read.
According to the pricing chart there, British prices for this car (converted to USD at 1.7544 exchange rate) range from $72,790 for the lowest model to $125,439 for the top model. At these prices, I guess they can afford to make the factory extra pretty. - addisonj, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ah, now it is working... very cool factory... but with the phaeton not selling at all (at one time VW offered something like 10,000 dealer cash). The phaeton is cool... just really overpriced and underperforming when you consider the likes of BMW and Audi
- djhifisi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is not unusual for a factory to be this clean. I was an engineering manager in a factory in New Zealand with floor to ceiling glass, carpet on the floor, air-con, positive pressure to control dust etc etc which was built ten years ago. Great to see this amazing display of a factory though. And to: "acontorer" - "In other words, the factory is nicer than it needs to be, because it impresses the customers." - That is not correct. If the factory is clean, then it is much easier to keep the parts it produces clean too, very important for something like a car which is a very expensive and 'visual' product. Last thing you want is a speck of dust in the paint of your brand new $100,000 (or whatever) car. It literally has to be perfect when it leaves the door (or look perfect at least). Great post!
- gorkish, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Wow that is one beautiful factory.. Too bad it cranks out such a crappy car.
For the record, the Phaeton is a very nice car; it's just not as nice as pretty much any other car priced similarly. For $100K+ I don't think you could get me to speak VW. I am proud to know that my BMW M3 was constructed in a very similar hand-built fashion (albeit with a lot less flash I'd imagine).
BTW Where is the step where VW actually runs the engine on this new machine to make sure it actually WORKS? Every BMW off the line will see redline in every gear before they will ship it out. - Sidedish, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Makes me remember my 98 gti and how it didn't set off its airbags when I hit 2 cars and a median at 78 mph.
I love my saab. - acontorer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1When a big company does something wildly expensive and gorgeous like this, there is one simple explanation: marketing. In other words, the factory is nicer than it needs to be, because it impresses the customers. It gives people another reason to think "hmm, maybe this really IS worth that much money."
Does a pretty factory really make your car better? That's unclear. But it makes you FEEL better about your car, and VW knows that's worth big money. - tibby.dude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Sadly the BMW/Merc/Audi/Lexus snobs of the world took one look at the VW badge on the front and decided it was crap but fortunately for VW various Phaeton bits are used in Audi,Bentley,Lamborgini and Touareg/Porsche Cayenne models.
- anthonyb415, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is so freaking cool! I love the frieght trams! They cruise through the city on the normal passenger trams rails. Best photo gallery on Digg ever!!!
SUPER DIGG! - iSEPIC, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Nice factory! You'd actually WANT to goto work there!
- wthulhu, on 08/29/2009, -0/+1oh those crazy German's
- Stockwell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Super!
You can say what you want about the Germans (and I lived there for a couple of years), but they are damned smart when it comes to things like this.
And that is place is superclean....doubt if I ever would be able to get my place that clean.
Superb photo-series and a nice good Digg. - bobbywan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1few words, lots of pictures=DIGG
- tensionrev, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The Ford Rouge Factory tour is a lot like that. They take you through the whole vehicle, from a virtual tour of the steel stamping (very cool, you sit in a room with screens all around and they make it hot and smelly just like in a steel mill, but, you know, safe), all the way through to an actual tour of the final assembly of the F-150. You walk along a balcony overlooking the workers as they put the IP in, the bed on, windscreen, etc. Not quite as much open space, but then again they build about 200k F-150s/yr at that plant, not 50 or 60 Phaetons.
http://www.hfmgv.org/rouge/default.asp
And yes, it is that clean at the assembly plant as well. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Quote, originally posted by PanEuropean ยป
...
For sure. It is interesting to note that Canadian Maple was chosen for the solid wood floors of the Glass Factory in part for technical reasons: It is one of very few woods that meet the very strict fire regulations governing use of wood in manufacturing facilities. It's also worth noting that the floors are solid maple, not maple veneer.
... - kevinmoore, on 06/13/2009, -0/+1etx313 said, "You should check out the REAL VW facorys in Mexico. They are *****. And that is where every VW in the states is made."
Mexico if you're talking about the new Beetle or the Jetta. Actually, I think the Jetta and the Passat are made in Brazil. (which, in case you didn't realize, is a separate country from Mexico.)
My 2004 R32 was made in Bratislava, Slovakia. Last time I checked, that wasn't in Mexico.
The Touaregs are made in Germany. Germany isn't Mexico either.
Then why does my 2004 VW R32's window sticker say this: - xeeton, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2My father is in charge of 7 automotive plants in the US and overseas. Many new factories are this clean; even GM factories.
gorkish said:
"BTW Where is the step where VW actually runs the engine on this new machine to make sure it actually WORKS? Every BMW off the line will see redline in every gear before they will ship it out."
I own a BMW and have taken european delivery option; they don't see redline until the purchaser does it. - breakneckridge, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Geez! What is wrong with our country that Germany has put a total smack down on the quality of manufacturing plants here in the US? We used to be the leader in all these types of things and scoff at the quality of things in European countries and now when I look at this modern plant in a European country it looks like something straight out of the future. C'mon USA, get it together!
- cerilia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"At least american cars are made in America, and the american companies are really kicking ass in the dependibility area nowdays."
I work in one. Improvment in dependibility? Yes. The one I work in as clean as that one? Not even close. American cars made in America? Not for long, more and more are being made outside in countries like Mexico, and for years now in Canada. - productionteams, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1hehe.. I was there this May (2005). It was amazing. I got a personalized English tour. Driving in the real Phaeton with the simulated room is awesome! I had so much fun in this factory. A MUST if you visit Dresden.
If any of you are visiting, make sure you register online and make sure you SPECIFICALLY request for an English tour. Because by default, they assume everyone speaks English.
Elliot - medieval, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Amazing factory! No wonder VW is hemorrhaging money.
- Boondoggle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"...and thats why I drive a VW =)"
eh, because they have a nice looking factory? - Jerk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Yes, very old. I remember reading that the day it was posted...probably helps that I practically live on the 'tex.
- ssaha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Holy *****!! They make what there???
- charlescheese, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That's cool, but what a monumental waste of money.
- MrPhelps, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Whow it looks so nice at first I thought it was a computer generated fake ... but there are many other sources concuring ... wow.
- GiphLag, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Just to clarify. The Phaeton is being discontinued only in the US. Sales in Europe have been steady if not increasing.
- Victr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Seems almost surreal. Increadible.
- neocitron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0please remember that the "consumer reports" your're reading are from American authors...
and please remember that the reviews you read about the VW are in English and most likely American as well.... no ***** foreign cars get hard reviews...
German Cars > all other cars - aiiee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"The Ford Rouge Factory tour is a lot like that. They take you through the whole vehicle, from a virtual tour of the steel stamping (very cool, you sit in a room with screens all around and they make it hot and smelly just like in a steel mill, but, you know, safe)"
Back when I was a wee lad, they took you through the actual foundry at da Rouge, on a catwalk above the hot mill where they were pouring and rolling hot steel. Whee;)
They can't do that any more though, too many things blowing up now and then. - Mongoose, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0D'as real perdy.
- buddyfarr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0wow. wood floors though. no wonder the car is so expensive. I have worked in some high end offices that didn't have floors that nice. when they shut it down I want some of that for my house!! :)
- nihilator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0All show but no go...nice plant though.
Anyone read the independent Consumer Reports ratings? VW didn't do so hot.
But at the end of the day, just stick with the car you like. Some brands are statistically more reliable, some perform better on paper, some perform better on the track, and some just look better to some people.
Not being snobby, but I side with Lexus and Infiniti. - Xomenra, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Fantastic!
- jjpictures, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0...and thats why I drive a VW =)
- neggbird, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0that hardwood floor is not going to last.
- imajilon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Those wood floors caught my eye, too! I wonder what sort of wood . . . bamboo perhaps? Nice post!
- pointaken, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0nice digg!!
- number8888, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0They have wooden floors!! In a factory!! Looks more like an office than an assembly plant!! It's even better than the office I work in!!
- MrMysterious, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow, thats stunning....I'm in awe.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Cool!!!
- Greenline, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Serioulsy sweet. . . what a good job of making you want to buy one!
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