Golf production marks 50 years of VW Group in Mexico

Puebla (Mexico), January 17, 2014: Production of the new Volkswagen Golf1 began two days ago at the Volkswagen plant in Puebla, Mexico, marking the 50th anniversary of Volkswagen de México. The facility is to build further models from the Golf family for the North America region going forward.

“Volkswagen de México has a proud history and a promising future. The new Golf in particular is a symbol of that,” said Prof Dr. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. “The start of Golf 7 production will give Volkswagen a big boost in the North America region. And it underscores our commitment to Mexico as an automotive location. That is further confirmed by the US$7 billion our Group will be investing in North America in the period to 2018.”

The intelligent lightweight construction of the Golf, voted ‘World Car of the Year 2013’, is based on the technological innovations of the Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB), and the vehicle will be exported from Mexico to the USA and Canada. Volkswagen has invested around US$700 million in new production plant and modern infrastructure for the Golf in Puebla. The first Golf saloon to be built in Mexico is a red Golf GTI2. Production of further derivatives such as the Golf station wagon for the North and South America regions will begin during the course of the year. Golf production at the Puebla plant has a capacity of 700 vehicles per working day.

CEO of Volkswagen de México, Andreas Hinrichs, said: “Our Puebla factory is today one of the Group’s highest exporters and one of its largest plants worldwide. Over 10 million vehicles have already been shipped from here to customers all over the world.”

In addition to the new Golf, the Puebla plant also builds the coupé and cabriolet versions of the VW Beetle plus the Jetta. In terms of technology, these models also belong to the Golf class and are to be adapted to the structure of the Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB) in the medium term. Furthermore, VW began manufacturing modern TSI engines at the Silao engine plant in early 2013. The Audi facility in San José Chiapa will strengthen the Volkswagen Group’s production network in North America from 2016.

Volkswagen began exports to Mexico back in 1954. 50 years ago, on January 15, 1964, the Wolfsburg-based company founded an import, production and sales company called ‘Volkswagen de México S.A.’ The Beetle began rolling off the assembly line at the new plant in Puebla in 1967, with production of this model only finally coming to an end in 2003. Alongside the Bulli, the Beetle helped motorise Mexico for decades.

In 1997, Puebla became the only plant in the Volkswagen Group to build the New Beetle, exporting the model all over the world. Production of the fourth Jetta generation commenced at the same time. VW says both models lent key growth momentum to Volkswagen de México’s export business. From 1964 to the present day, the Volkswagen Group has invested a total of US$8 billion in Mexico.