Sorry if seems an anoraky question but just interested in how my mota was built. Are there any websites to give pics and info as would find it interesting.
cheers
cheers
Any good resources for Audi build process info?
- Thread starter A3_TOBES
- Start date
The best way is to go to Germany or Austria for a holiday and call into to the factory at Ingolstadt. You can then have a factory tour and actually see the A3 production line. Most of the tours are in German, but it is possible, for a small cost to arrange for an English speaking guide. The last time we did this we had one of the senior guides who had worked in the factory for many years and he was happy to spend as long as we liked looking round.
That way you get the added benefit of being able to drive on sections of the autobahn that have no speed restrictions.
I go on holiday to Austria using my A3 most years and every now and then call in to Ingolstadt on the way home.
If you need any more information, let me know.
That way you get the added benefit of being able to drive on sections of the autobahn that have no speed restrictions.
I go on holiday to Austria using my A3 most years and every now and then call in to Ingolstadt on the way home.
If you need any more information, let me know.
That factory tour sounds interesting. A lot of European manufacturers do this nowadays - I've read a lot in EVO about the Ferrari and Lamborghini tours in Italy which are highly rated. If you drove that far for a holiday, stopping in Germany on the way back would complete the trip.
The same applies to Audi customers, but not yet to UK customers. In Ingolstadt there is a special centre where customer go. They hand in their number plates, have a factory tour and lunch and then when called, go to collect their car. They are given a full 'tour' of there car, have a photgraph taken and then drive their brand new car out of the centre and home.
Good timing - I went to the factory in Ingolstadt on Friday on my way home from my Swiss, Austrian, Italian mountain passes drive with a friend of mine.
2000 miles in 4.5 days, including 7 passes in one day but loved every minute of it. The 3.2 was fantastic but it did struggle to get above 12mpg going up the Stelvio Pass (49 hair pins in about 10 miles)! I did average 29 though, but with very uphill there is the other side which helped and also lots of slowish driving through the valleys.
I could go on as it was such a great trip (might do in another thread) but back on topic, I booked an english speaking tour about a month before, which shows you round the A3 factory for 2 hours. Every day at 11.30am and it costs a whopping 4 Euros! 20 people on the tour and you must book.
You see from the pressing of the metal panels through to filling with petrol / diesel and final road testing. Might sound a bit dull to many but I found it fascinating to see what goes into making a car and how efficient it is.
They build 900 A3s a day there, and we saw all variants including American ones, left and right hand drive, 3dr and Sportbacks all mixed in on one line. Even saw some new S3s on the line and a couple of finished ones too (not sure about the exterior myself). The marriage of the engine, transmission, suspension and brakes etc to the body takes less than 3 minutes. Each A3 takes 35 hours to make, of which 15 hours is the paint process. The factory we were in is 1.2km long too and everyone has a bike to get around on (bike racks everywhere). I was surprised to see an ice cream van in there though!
They have a dedicated section for those collecting their cars and you get a tour thrown in (as you would expect). There were about 6 people collecting every 15 minutes (a big collection board had names on it).
Any more info, let me know. I have the Audi docs about the tours which I can email if helpful (don't have any web space) unless anyone can suggest how to attach here?
2000 miles in 4.5 days, including 7 passes in one day but loved every minute of it. The 3.2 was fantastic but it did struggle to get above 12mpg going up the Stelvio Pass (49 hair pins in about 10 miles)! I did average 29 though, but with very uphill there is the other side which helped and also lots of slowish driving through the valleys.
I could go on as it was such a great trip (might do in another thread) but back on topic, I booked an english speaking tour about a month before, which shows you round the A3 factory for 2 hours. Every day at 11.30am and it costs a whopping 4 Euros! 20 people on the tour and you must book.
You see from the pressing of the metal panels through to filling with petrol / diesel and final road testing. Might sound a bit dull to many but I found it fascinating to see what goes into making a car and how efficient it is.
They build 900 A3s a day there, and we saw all variants including American ones, left and right hand drive, 3dr and Sportbacks all mixed in on one line. Even saw some new S3s on the line and a couple of finished ones too (not sure about the exterior myself). The marriage of the engine, transmission, suspension and brakes etc to the body takes less than 3 minutes. Each A3 takes 35 hours to make, of which 15 hours is the paint process. The factory we were in is 1.2km long too and everyone has a bike to get around on (bike racks everywhere). I was surprised to see an ice cream van in there though!
They have a dedicated section for those collecting their cars and you get a tour thrown in (as you would expect). There were about 6 people collecting every 15 minutes (a big collection board had names on it).
Any more info, let me know. I have the Audi docs about the tours which I can email if helpful (don't have any web space) unless anyone can suggest how to attach here?
Do they actually have a quality control process ? !!!!!!!!
If so I would love to meet the monkey that QC'd my car
If so I would love to meet the monkey that QC'd my car
I rejected my first A3 and was hoping to meet the person who left a variety of spare washers and bolts under the rear carpet which rolled around everytime I went round a corner.
As the DSG was designed by VW in association with Borg-Warner, I don't think you will find them in Ingolstadt.
If you do find them let me know as I would like to congratulate them on a good piece of design and understanding my requirements exactly !
Sorry Bowfer, couldn't resist that one !
If you do find them let me know as I would like to congratulate them on a good piece of design and understanding my requirements exactly !
Sorry Bowfer, couldn't resist that one !
h5djr said:
Maybe you could have a go at them for putting noisy stereos in the cars at the same time eh ?
Preset to radio 2 and no more than normal conversation will allow,that should do.
Deter 'oiks' from owning Audis.
