The production of the new generation Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet officially started at VW’s new facility in Osnabrück during a ceremony attended by a number of VVIPS.
The Cabrio’s production is kicked into high gear to make sure it reaches customer in summer, just as VW has promised. This drop-top funster comes with a electronically-operated fabric roof that goes up and down in just 9.5 seconds. The car has four seats but it is a 2+2 and offers 250 liters of boot space with the roof down. It is is offered with six turbocharged direct-injection engines whose power outputs range from 77 kW / 105 PS to 155 kW / 210 PS.
Present at the ceremony that marked the production of the new Golf Cabrio at Osnabrück plant were German President Christian Wulff, the President, Lower Saxony’s Premier David McAllister, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Dr. Horst Neumann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft responsible for Human Resources, and Bernd Wehlauer, Deputy Chairman of the Volkswagen Group Works Council.
Wow, this lot didn’t turn up for the production of Bugatti Veyron, so this Golf must be something special! And it is actually, since its production Creates lots of new jobs at the plant in Osnabrück which covers the entire automotive process chain from vehicle development through tooling to production.
German President Christian Wulff said: “I am very pleased we have been able to safeguard the future of Osnabrück as a car making location. Osnabrück has enormous potential. The strengths of the employees and their comprehensive enormous know-how, for example in building cabriolets, are a perfect fit for Volkswagen Osnabrück as part of the wider Volkswagen Group.”
“It is only just over a year since we got down to work,” Prof. Dr. Winterkorn said. “Since then, we have safeguarded many car making jobs and have also integrated the technical development and metal units. Above all, though, the team in Osnabrück has successfully managed the Golf Cabriolet start-up within the space of a year. The biggest compliment I can pay you today is that this car, your car, is a genuine Volkswagen! Osnabrück has made a masterful debut with the Golf Cabriolet!”
“As premier I am particularly delighted that Volkswagen now has six locations in Lower Saxony and produces in Osnabrück as well as in Wolfsburg, Hanover, Emden, Brunswick and Salzgitter. Osnabrück’s long car making tradition is being continued. Volkswagen Osnabrück will establish itself in the Group as a competence centre for small series vehicles,” Premier McAllister commented.
Volkswagen Board Member for Human Resources Neumann stated: “Volkswagen Osnabrück currently has a workforce of some 1,250, and a total of 1,800 people will have a job here by the end of the year. In addition, we are increasing the number of vocational training places further to cater for the larger number of school leavers caused by the change in Germany’s education system which shortens the time it takes to study for a high school diploma by one year. This will raise the total number of vocational trainees and students on the integrated study and training program.”
Deputy Chairman of the Group Works Council Wehlauer underscored: “The future of jobs at the Osnabrück automotive location came with the decision to finally put another Golf Cabriolet on the road. Many past joint projects unite us with the colleagues here. Together with the Volkswagen workforce in Osnabrück we are now shaping a piece of the automotive future with the Golf Cabriolet.”
