VW will assemble some of the 981 boxsters--maybe

[wot.motortrend.com]

According to the story, if Zuffenhausen can't handle the demand, the old Karman plant will handle to overflow.

I thought this was a done deal all along--981 production going to that plant--but possibly with the VW deal currently up in the air, they'll only send production there is demand warrants it.

I believe this has been the plan all along. Boxster/Cayman production overflow was handled by Valmet in the past. Now the overflow wil be produced at the former Karmann plant where most VW convertibles have been built in the past, along with the VW Karmann Ghia. Porsches (I think it was just the bodies) were also built there in the past. Just came across this one at a car show in Venice, FL on Sunday. It's a '63 356 (with 47,000 miles on the odo.)



Note the badging on fender.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2012 10:30PM by Guenter in Ontario. (view changes)

My 986 was Valmet. It looks like the third time's the charm for a Zuffenhausen build.

Serial numbers of early cars have kind of a neat pattern. Starting with 356A production and the 6 digit serial number, Reutter built coupes started with a "1", the Reutter cabriolets started with "15", Karmann built Hardtops started with "20" and Karmann coupes started with a "21". Early 901's started with a 3, and thank you Laz, I did not realize the Karmann built 912's started with a "4".

Karmann built several body program runs for Porsche, but the cars were always assembled at Werk 1(save for the 4 cylinder 914--Sixes were assembled by Porsche).

This was the case even at Reutter who's coach building plant was across an ally from Werk 1. It was eventually absorbed by Porsche to ramp up for 901 production.

A neat side note: Reutter did not sell all of their business interests to Porsche. They kept their seat building division which you may have heard of, it's called Recaro!