Porsche makes its headquarters fit for the future

Porsche is making the Zuffenhausen production site fit for the future with extensive conversion and expansion measures: in future, the assembly line for two-door Porsche sports cars will also produce the electric sports cars of the next 718 generation in addition to the models with boxer engines.

The Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer is investing around 250 million euros in the construction measures.

»60 years of the Porsche 911 and 75 years of sports cars: the double anniversary marks a special year for Porsche. The conversion and expansion measures for sports car production at our main plant are an important milestone for the Zuffenhausen site,« says Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board for Production and Logistics at Porsche.

»The conversion measures enable increased efficiency, the highest quality standards and the mixed production of combustion and electric sports cars. We are thus opening a new chapter for sports car production in terms of the Smart Factory.«

As part of the conversions, numerous systems in sports car production will be renewed. This reflects the further development of the production process. As with Taycan production, the latest generation of driverless transport systems are now also being used for the two-door models. This is intended to increase capacity and flexibility in Porsche production.

Production has also been expanded to include further quality test benches in vehicle assembly, additional logistics areas and a new high-bay warehouse. In addition, the assembly of the electric drive for the future electric Macan will be integrated into the existing engine plant.

The conversion and expansion measures at a glance

Automated driving: Sports car production with driverless transport systems

Porsche has expanded the production line for its two-door sports cars at the main plant in order to integrate new production sections. As in the production of the electric Porsche Taycan, driverless transport vehicles (DTVs) are now also being used here. The latest generation of AGVs are replacing the traditional assembly line on a so-called Flexiline, allowing a more variable production method - which is particularly advantageous in view of the future mixed production of vehicles with combustion engines and electric drives on one line.

Further developed production process: New integrated quality checkpoints

Porsche Production has further developed quality management in sports car assembly: This includes new assembly processes as well as newly established stations for quality assurance. Following the principles of the first-time quality approach with small control loops, standardized quality assurance and approval points have been integrated into the production process. The individual inspection points along the assembly line are controlled starting from the end of assembly. Various processes were adapted to ensure optimum vehicle acceptance, including the installation of a new light tunnel.

Following the latest conversions, the adjoining finish area has a clearer process organization and further developed test procedures. Among other things, the acoustic test benches have been adapted to the requirements of electric vehicles. In addition, the test benches for leak and surface inspections have been completely renewed.

Parts puzzle: expanded logistics for body shop and new high-bay warehouse

Since 2022, the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer has been expanding the logistics areas of the body shop with a new building on the site of the former Porsche Center at Porscheplatz opposite the Porsche Museum. After the planned completion in 2025, high-bay warehouses over two floors will be able to supply the body shop of the Taycan and sports car production with vehicle parts.

In addition, a new high-bay warehouse, which will open in September 2023, will supply the entire assembly plant with various vehicle components. The parts warehouse is fully automated and has a storage volume of around 35,000 cubic meters. This corresponds to 40,650 storage spaces for pallets and containers.

Electrifying: assembly of Macan e-engines integrated into engine plant

Since 2016, there has been a new assembly plant for V8 combustion engines for the Panamera and Cayenne series at the Zuffenhausen site. The assembly of electric motors for the electric Porsche Macan is now also being integrated into this engine production center. The new generation of the Porsche Macan is scheduled to roll off the production line in Leipzig in 2024.