The chief executive of Volkswagen Slovakia, Andreas Tostmann, has told just-auto that the company’s Bratislava plant is set to begin building three new small cars from the second half of 2011.
Dr Tostmann would not be drawn on the models’ names or planned production volume, but he confirmed that each will be part of the New Small Family project as previewed by the Volkswagen up! and SpaceUp concepts.
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In May 2010, Volkswagen stated that an electric car to be called Up blue-e-motion would be launched in Europe in 2013. The same month, the company revealed that it was working with Italdesign (IDG) “on ongoing projects such as the planned Volkswagen Up! model family”.
The Bratislava plant has had an additional line installed for New Small Family production. It presently manufactures the VW Touareg, Touareg Hybrid and Audi Q7, and partly-builds the Porsche Cayenne and Cayenne S Hybrid. Final assembly for the Porsches is at the SUV and sports car firm’s own Leipzig plant.
It is believed that the Up will have its global premiere at the IAA in Frankfurt on 13 September. The Škoda and the replacement for the long-discontinued SEAT Arosa should follow towards year-end.
Volkswagen Slovakia imports powertrains for its three SUVs from the nearby Audi Hungaria plant at Györ but Tostmann states that this will not be the case for the small cars. Instead, engines will come from “Germany”, presumably the giant Salzgitter works which makes everything from three- to sixteen cylinder units for various Volkswagen Group vehicles.
Author: Glenn Brooks
