raspritz

Prior to taking the Porsche factory tour this Monday morning, on Sunday I visited the Porsche museum and the adjacent very large Porschezentrum Zuffenhausen dealership next to the factory on Porscheplatz:



The museum is a remarkable (and obviously unique) collection of Porsche autos, from the very first pre-356 Speedster (magnesium body, c1950):



through Porsche #1,000,000 (a 911 outfitted as a police cruiser):



through many historic racers:



and the first GT (which they clearly consider the pride of the fleet):



to current production.



Jeremy Clarkson may bemoan that Porsche has the laziest design engineers in the autoimotive industry, but to Porsche that is clearly exactly the point, proudly pointing out that design remains fairly true to Ferry Porsche's original design mock-up from around 1936 or so.

To those who take the factory tour and claim to have hundreds of pictures, baloney! The very first thing they do is take away all cameras and tell you no cell phones or you will be asked to leave. I managed one shot from the street, looking through the window into the 911 engine/drivetrain assembly shop, showing the line, unfortunately during lunch break. Engines are assembled coming towards you on the right, make a U-turn exactly where you are looking, and then continue assembly as they move away from you on the left side of the line:



The system is quite remarkable, nothing at all like a Detroit automotive assembly line. Starting with the 2008 model year they have a single continuous "911 line", on which all flat-6 engine models are assembled simultaneously. It is a Y-configuration line, with separate initial lines for bodies and engine/drivetrain, culminating in "The Wedding" and a single line thereafter. Panameras and other V-engine cars are built on a separate line.

All cars are built to order using a just-in-time control system, to custom manifest that is car-specific. They claim the parts inventory duration is 8 minutes, it taking 3 days to build a car from start to finish, the line moving at 1 car/5.2 minutes; the day I was there the target production was 150, with projected production 153 based on the pace around noon. Almost all of the assembly is manual; they have only two assembly robots; one to flip the assembled engine over and another to pick up, glue, and insert the front and rear glass windows (in non-cabs, obviously). On the 911 line I saw about 30% Turbos, 40% Boxters, 20% Carrera S, and 10% a mix of standard Carreras or GT cars; I did not see even a single Cayman on the line. Perhaps 95% of cars on the line were black, silver, or white. All cars are built to order (in the USA most orders are dealer spec cars; outside the USA almost all cars are full custom orders), and they said that 911 model orders are way down, Boxter orders are slightly up, and that Panameras are way up, pretty much what we've seen in the monthly reports. They said 911 demand is always cyclical with the economy.

I also can answer some of the questions that have been bandied about here regarding Porsche engine testing. First, yes, all engines are hand-assembled, though the parts presumably are not hand-milled. Second, since 2008 (when they installed the new assembly line), all assembled engines are "cold-tested", spun by a pusher engine to 150 kph, but only 1% of engines are full "hot-tested", being fueled and run to 150 kph for 30 min (or maybe it was 15 min). Prior to the 2008 model year, all engines had the full cold and hot tests. Nevertheless, today all cars are finally hot run on a dynamometer after assembly is complete, to a simulated 150 kph.

Interestingly, on the tour there was a section at the back of the leather shop that the guide said is used for design, and that we could not visit because there is a new model under design that even he was not allowed to see. I wonder what that might be?

All in all, a highly interesting tour that I strongly recommend.

Rich

Edgy01

Actually, I have plenty of production line photos within the Porsche factory! (But that was in 1978!)

Always interesting information--they keep updating the information. (I didn't know that the first 356 roadster from 1948 was of magnesium--aluminum was very plentiful in those days so that was the source--a lot of fallen B-17s and such were scattered around the countryside....)

Helios59

Great write-up and a nice companion to the "Ultimate Factories: Porsche" TV show.

Thanks!

winkingchef

How far in advance did you book?
Did you have someone get you a reservation?
I'm trying to get in on the 8th of July and they have turned me down.

Mike in CA

Brings back fond memories as I visited the factory, the dealership, and museum at almost exactly this time last year while picking up my car.

With regard to your comment about the Panamera and other V engine cars being built on a different line, they are indeed; a different factory in Leipzig. Also, the reason that you didn't see any Caymans is because until 2012 they will continue to be built for Porsche by Valmet in Finland.

Really enjoyed your write up and pics!

f4 plt

I also have production line photos but alas it was also in the late 1970's . The company was very friendly with members of the Germany Region PCA and we had many invites to visit the factory and were allowed to take pictures on the line . Those were the days.

alexb76

That is not entirely true. Some special order Caymans and Boxster ARE made in the same factory, at least according to what they told me last year (October), and I did see both in the assembly line. I do not recall what exact options makes them to be built there though.

Also, in terms of testing in addition to what OP stated, some cars are randomly picked to be test driven by Porsche test drivers to ensure everything's working perfectly.

I also concur, NO PHOTOS are allowed! They even have lockers to lock your stuff away!

Gj325

Great write up. One day the wife and I need to take a trip back to her homeland.
Enjoy your trip have a brew or two for me while you are there.

cbzzoom

You guys who have the old photos should post them! I'd love to see the old factory.

Holli82

So how about that break-room with soda water and beer for the workers??

raspritz

I booked the tour myself by email, about a month and a half in advance. According to the guide, at the moment almost ALL cars are being made in Zuffenhausen except for Panameras which I believe he said are assembled in Leipzig with the engines and bodies pre-assembled in Zuffenhausen and trucked to Leipzig for assembly, which sounded inefficient. He said that usually, half of Boxters are made in Finland, but that has been mostly halted due to the poor economy so as to keep the Zuffenhausen plant at full production, with plans to ramp up again in Finland as demand increases. I was surprised that, given that the entire plant is otherwise squeaky-clean, many of the workers were smoking while working the line.

Mike in CA

I knew some Boxsters were built in Zuffenhausen but not Caymans. I wonder if they start out at Valmet and are shipped to Stuttgart for the "special" treatment. Whatever. Let's just say Caymans are not routinely built there.

Mike in CA

All of my photos from '84 are slides. I've been meaning to digitize them, but need the hardware.

Edgy01

A couple of years ago I posted this on the 928 forum--as the line was the 928 line. (The 911 line was closed from prying eyes as they were transitioning from the 911 to the newest 911SC).

They are here: https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ne-photos.html

Also, perhaps a shortcut--one of the 928 Rennlisters rehosted the same shots on a separate webpage (but sans my comments and descriptions):

http://members.rennlist.com/njsharkf...0page%201.html

ADias

Very nice! Very different from today's streamlined modern, more clinical factory.