Porsche Factory Tour
Discussion
My girlfriend has just given me my birthday present, a tour of the Porsche Factory in Stuttgart for next tuesday, flying out on the monday morning, coming back Tuesday night.
Anyone been on it before? I don't think we'll have time to go to Ruf and it's a bit late notice for that I guess.
Anyone been on it before? I don't think we'll have time to go to Ruf and it's a bit late notice for that I guess.
[quote=Muncher]My girlfriend has just given me my birthday present, a tour of the Porsche Factory in Stuttgart for next tuesday, flying out on the monday morning, coming back Tuesday night.
Anyone been on it before? I don't think we'll have time to go to Ruf and it's a bit late notice for that I guess.[/quote
you lucky git!
Anyone been on it before? I don't think we'll have time to go to Ruf and it's a bit late notice for that I guess.[/quote
you lucky git!
I saw a stunning 997tt in white on sunday, the 997 is really growing on me now.Muncher said:
My girlfriend has just given me my birthday present, a tour of the Porsche Factory in Stuttgart for next tuesday, flying out on the monday morning, coming back Tuesday night.
Anyone been on it before? I don't think we'll have time to go to Ruf and it's a bit late notice for that I guess.
Anyone been on it before? I don't think we'll have time to go to Ruf and it's a bit late notice for that I guess.
Yes, I have been. It is a worthwhile visit but as car factories go (other than the product being a bit special) not a great deal to see in terms of Metal Stamping, welding etc etc... but really good nonetheless...
What was interesting (to me anyway seeing as I used to program robots for car factories) was the fact that Porsche buys all its body panels from BMW.
There is something special about seeing a line of 911's all being made...whilst I was there (Stuttgart) they still made Boxsters there as well and they assembled the Cayenne engines as well and plus the fact that they allow the employees to drink beer, infact they provide fridges to store it in right next to the line. They run a policy where if any member of a team becomes unproductive due to drink... all the team members lose a production bonus. Strangley enough, they do not have a drink problem at all.
Enjoy your trip. The new large Museum is not open yet... but the still have the small one.
Edited by nbetts on Tuesday 12th December 09:37
Yeah not bad seeing as we've only been together since April and she hates cars! Her mother even paid for the hotel in Stuttgart! It all came in 3 Porsche cards with the flight tickets, hotel reservation and train from Baden-Baden to Stuttgart 
She also got me a little model of my VX220
She also got me a little model of my VX220
www.muncher.org.uk/stuttgart/
Not that many photos of Porsches, but I think we all know what a 997 looks like by now
The Porsche museum itself is tiny, a single room affair, but the new museum shown as a building site over the road which is due to be finished in 2008 will be awesome.
The tour itself is very good, it last for a bit over 2 hours. We were taken around the assembly lines by a pretty young guy who was really good and knew his stuff. Their whole approach is really, really organised and professional, the factory working in such an intricate fashion. Parts arrive 2 hours before the car makes its way down the line, the axles being delivered a mere 30 minutes before they enter the line. Surprisingly, the only process which is not done by hand is the insertion of the rear windscreens which are done by a robot as if not done in that way apparently they can crack if not seated perfectly level. Has anyone had to replace a 996/997 rear screen before?
There were some pretty interesting bits such as how the 996 needed to be watercooled to meet noise legislation in the states, about the CGT V10 construction, how they don't think any of their boxer engines are safe beyond 500bhp and how the PCCB apparently will last 350,000km hard use without a change of pads or discs...
Given how small the factory is, it is amazing to think that they produce 160 cars per day, I guess it is something only the Germans can do. You can definitely the feel the whole Porsche ethos from a tour of the factory, it's no wonder the cars are so bloody good.
We then went onto the the new Mercedes Benz world. It's in a pretty nice building, spread over 8 floors, which spirals downwards. It's perhaps more of a history lesson, something for real Merc purists. The simulator wasn't all that good and there was a distinct lack of Mercs from the last 10 years or so. There were no AMG cars and there wasn't even a McMerc SLR. I'd say it's worth going to but I wouldn't go out of your way to pay it a visit.
Next summer we're going to drive to Modena in the VX and see how Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani do it, I'm pretty sure it will be totally different to Porsche though.
Not that many photos of Porsches, but I think we all know what a 997 looks like by now
The Porsche museum itself is tiny, a single room affair, but the new museum shown as a building site over the road which is due to be finished in 2008 will be awesome.
The tour itself is very good, it last for a bit over 2 hours. We were taken around the assembly lines by a pretty young guy who was really good and knew his stuff. Their whole approach is really, really organised and professional, the factory working in such an intricate fashion. Parts arrive 2 hours before the car makes its way down the line, the axles being delivered a mere 30 minutes before they enter the line. Surprisingly, the only process which is not done by hand is the insertion of the rear windscreens which are done by a robot as if not done in that way apparently they can crack if not seated perfectly level. Has anyone had to replace a 996/997 rear screen before?
There were some pretty interesting bits such as how the 996 needed to be watercooled to meet noise legislation in the states, about the CGT V10 construction, how they don't think any of their boxer engines are safe beyond 500bhp and how the PCCB apparently will last 350,000km hard use without a change of pads or discs...
Given how small the factory is, it is amazing to think that they produce 160 cars per day, I guess it is something only the Germans can do. You can definitely the feel the whole Porsche ethos from a tour of the factory, it's no wonder the cars are so bloody good.
We then went onto the the new Mercedes Benz world. It's in a pretty nice building, spread over 8 floors, which spirals downwards. It's perhaps more of a history lesson, something for real Merc purists. The simulator wasn't all that good and there was a distinct lack of Mercs from the last 10 years or so. There were no AMG cars and there wasn't even a McMerc SLR. I'd say it's worth going to but I wouldn't go out of your way to pay it a visit.
Next summer we're going to drive to Modena in the VX and see how Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani do it, I'm pretty sure it will be totally different to Porsche though.
Was in Stuttgart in August, so decided to drive out to Zuffenhausen to visit the factory, but it was shut down for the holidays....
However, visited the museum, which did not have very much to see, (imo), but the good news is they are building a very much larger one right across the road which should be open fairly soon.......
However, visited the museum, which did not have very much to see, (imo), but the good news is they are building a very much larger one right across the road which should be open fairly soon.......
Sounds like the factory visit is worth while..excuse my ignorance but how many places do porsche build in Germany? The reason I ask is I am off to Berlin in July to see Genesis at the olympic stadium.
I have a 997 2s, so is that built in Stutgart, or elsewhere? Would love to see how these cars are put together. I could do Berlin, the factory and the ring..Maybe???
Not sure where the hell they all are and how far apart, but three birds one stone sort of thing??
I have a 997 2s, so is that built in Stutgart, or elsewhere? Would love to see how these cars are put together. I could do Berlin, the factory and the ring..Maybe???
Not sure where the hell they all are and how far apart, but three birds one stone sort of thing??
Muncher said:
All of the 911 range is built at Stuttgart.
All of the engines are built at Stuttgart
The Cayenne is built in Leipzig
Boxster and Cayman production is in Valmet, Finland and is outsourced.
All of the engines are built at Stuttgart
The Cayenne is built in Leipzig
Boxster and Cayman production is in Valmet, Finland and is outsourced.
CGT line was in Leipzig, too. You could see it stretched out behind glass from the reception area, which was pretty cool. I thought Boxsters were also made in Stuttgart. They were made there initially until Valmet started making them under licence for Porsche in Finland. Do they not make any in Stuttgart at all now?
Edited by loach on Thursday 21st December 08:47
It was fairly cheap really.
Return flight about £75 with Ryanair
Hotel Double room, good location, built onto the station £50
The tour is free
Train from Baden Baden to Stuttgart was £10 return
Taxis between airport and station were £40
Mercedes World was £5
Food seemed to cost about the same as the UK, I only spent about £40 over the weekend all in.
Return flight about £75 with Ryanair
Hotel Double room, good location, built onto the station £50
The tour is free
Train from Baden Baden to Stuttgart was £10 return
Taxis between airport and station were £40
Mercedes World was £5
Food seemed to cost about the same as the UK, I only spent about £40 over the weekend all in.
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