The Kaluga-based Volkswagen Group Rus Plant has Produced 600,000 Vehicles Since Opening

KALUGA, RUSSIA – June 11, 2013: The Kaluga-based Volkswagen Group Rus plant celebrates two remarkable events at once: 600,000 vehicles have been manufactured by the plant since its opening, and the 400,000th vehicle has been made using full cycle production.

The 600,000th vehicle rolled off the plant’s production line is an Acapulco blue metallic Volkswagen Tiguan. This Tiguan has the TSI 2.0L engine, AWD transmission 4MotionOTION, RNS 315 navigation system and a rear view camera.

Another milestone figure for the Kaluga-based plant is 400,000 vehicles made using full assembly cycle. The 400,000th vehicle was a white Škoda Fabia with a 1.6L engine and manual gearbox.

“Increasing share of local production is a part of our development strategy for Russia,” says Marcus Osegowitsch, General Director of Volkswagen Group Rus. "The 600,000 vehicles made by the Kaluga plant testify to the success of its implementation. The next obvious step in this direction will be building and commissioning a new engine plant."

“The two jubilee vehicles produced are a very important achievement for the plant. This milestone event brings us closer to the successful completion of our plans for 2013," says Dr. Joseph Baumert, Director of the Kaluga-based Volkswagen Group Rus plant. "We are going to continue increasing our production because vehicles made at the Kaluga plant are among the most popular in Russia and the demand for them is constantly growing”.

The Kaluga-based Volkswagen plant started to operate in 2007, as little as half a year after an investment agreement with the RF Government was signed for the "industrial assembly" regime. When it was opened, the plant produced vehicles using semi knocked down (SKD) assembly and in October 2009 launched the full-cycle production including welding and painting of vehicles. Now the plant produces Volkswagen Polo Sedan, Volkswagen Tiguan and Škoda Fabia vehicles and this summer is going to start getting ready for assembling Škoda Rapid.