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Audi’s new Chinese plant to begin production next month

By Matt Brogan |

Audi expects its second Chinese manufacturing plant will begin operations in September.

The move will double the manufacturer’s capacity in China to 200,000 units with the opening of the 1 billion yuan (US$146.3 million) factory.

The plant, jointly built by Audi and its China partner FAW Group, will make the long wheelbase version of the Audi A4 sedan, which is called the A4L, and the Q5 premium SUV (as pictured above).

The A4L currently is made at Audi’s first China plant, which also based in the northeastern city of Changchun.

China has been a bright spot for global automakers hit badly by a sharp industry downturn. Government stimulus measures in China have done a good job lifting consumer confidence.

Audi increased its deliveries to customers in China, its largest export market, by 11 percent to a record 66,866 vehicles in the first half. The automaker’s sales in June rose 28 percent to 13,265 vehicles, which was an all-time best for the month.


 
  • DGS

    Start checking the compliance plate when ever buying a new car, regardless of brand.

    Would you be happy to discover you had just spent $70,000 on “made in china” when you thought you where buying “Made in Germany”?

  • Toxic_Horse

    Most people don’t care or will never know.

  • C

    Not sure what the fuss is but its likely these cars won’t come to Aus, not in the near future anyway.It will be for local consumption only, they won’t even build enough to supply the chinese market when it booms!

  • DGS

    here is a little challange.

    after work, open the bonnet of your car and check the compliance plate to see where it is made.

    Most of you here are quite well informed and will find no suprises, but I bet if 50 people do his there will be some unhappy expleatives uttered.

    Just because a brand is German, Japanese, Korean, whatever, doesn’t mean the car is built in that country with the quality of componants available as in its home country.

  • Bloke

    DGS:
    ‘Straylya mate!

  • DGS

    good on ya Bloke

  • Karen

    There’s no way im buying a new Audi in the Future. Would be unsure where the parts have come from/built.

    AUDI Q5= $90,000 BUILT IN CHINA

    Leather not standard

    Great Wall V240= $23,990 BUILT IN CHINA

    LEATHER STANDARD

  • Hagar

    DSG: fully agree. Car companies use country of origin as a marketing tool but rarely disclose it if it is not advantageous. I would be mad if I thought I was buying a French car the Koleos and found it was Korean, which it is. But I would be more than happy buying Kia or Hyundai because there is no deception.

  • Hagar

    Just having a dig around, 2009 Audi TT is made in Hungary
    2009 Q7 made in SLOVAKIA. Bet most people don’t know this & drive around thinking “I am in a quality German car” R NOT

  • Buddy

    Compliance plates are fitted when the vehicle comes to Australia. So they comply with Australian Standards. Build plate is a differnt story

  • Hagar

    I hired a Holden Epica a few weeks ago, could not find a “built in” plate under the bonnet or any of the doors or door jams. So Holden is not proud it is Built in Korea.

  • Toxic_Horse

    Lol haggar
    Why would anyone want to buy a car they know was built in france!!
    Seriously though, country of origin really makes no difference to quality these days. The factory machines are built to a standard and sent to what ever country has cheap labour. thats it.
    Do you think a chinese man operating a german machine is going to do a worse job than a german operating the same machine.

  • http://Caradvice.com.au Baddass

    Long-wheelbase A4? Why not just bring the A6?

  • Hagar

    toxic, I agree with what you say. Quality is not a factor of country of origin. It’s the deception by makers I do not agree with. I would be happy to buy a car made in China if it is good quality and value, as long as this information is disclosed by the maker in marketing material. Many people buy Holden and Ford thinking they are supporting local manufacturers and factory workers but the majority of their cars are not made in OZ. Tell the consumer the truth and let them make the decision.

  • Bimmerc

    Baddass, I think A4L is less expensive than A6, also it fit with smaller engine that from A4.
    Not sure if you have seen the A4L or not, personally, it looks even better.

  • http://Caradvice.com.au Baddass

    I know what you are saying Bimmerc, but the A4L could only be sold in countries that don’t have the A6, or it would cannibalise sales.

  • topdog

    The problem is there just building them were ever thay can get the cheapest rates which is good if thay pass it on to us.But thay dont, Thay still charge full price and dont tell us and just pocket the money.If you go into bmw car yard you will see 2 similar cars ones made in germany and the other comes from thailand,But guss what there still same price so that sucks i recone.Just like all our own ozzy companys going over to china to make the stuff over there.Thay make it at fraction of price but thay still wont top dollar

  • C

    @topdog: huh? also, none of the BMWs in Aus come from Thailand.

  • TSI

    Honda civic, cr-v and jazz are built in THailand…. There are still good, reliable and well finished..
    Common, the company have to control their quality..
    (Honda accord made in Thailand compare to Holden commondore made in Australia) WHy is honda is more reliable than holden? Because made in Thailand better quality?

  • DipStiK

    C: true, but some BMW come from: 320 South Africa and X5-X6 from USA

  • Bavarian Missile but not for much longer :(

    Thailand use to make real junk in the 80s, they have come a looooooooong way. China arent up to their standard yet so two words for Audi “GOOD LUCK” .

  • material_guy

    It will all depend on where they source their materials from – I wouldn’t trust high strength Chinese steel & that’s what the most critical part of a vehicle, the chassis, is made from.

  • Bimmerc

    VW has established their factory in China for more than 20 years, and Audi started their production in early 90′s. There should be no problems for Audi.
    There wasn’t as much automation and robotics in 80s, but now, there almost no differece at production line between China or Germany. Therefore, the standard is up there!

  • DGS

    Material Guy,

    you pretty much nailed it. It is the quality of the materials that will determine what the car is regardless of how well designed or engineered it is.

    Would be interesting to compare a 5 year old BMW made in china with a 5 year old BMW made in Germany that have endured simular lives.

    The Chinese made modle will probably have electrical troubles (cheap wiring), a few chassis cracks ( ? Steel), torn leather (too thin or reconsittuted leather) and brittle or distorted plastics.

    The “build” quality may be the same, but the durability isn’t. One day China will get its act into gear, but that day has not yet dawned.

  • Bavarian Missile but not for much longer :(

    Bimmerc…..”BIG” difference in what the Chinese get in China made Audi to what they will now export.

    Audi allowed them to be sold in China only up till now and not to export ,quality a big difference.

    If you own an imported car in China you are considered rich an Audi isnt an import to them currently.

    Products we have made in China are made from Jap steel so I imagine the exported Audi will be too.

  • observer

    In theory country of manufacture shouldn’t impact on build quaility….right?

    So please explain why VW boasted that their current Gen 5 Golf is being sourced from Germany unlike the previous Gen 4 Golf which was built in South Africa and built up a reputation of inconsistant build quality.

    Honda does a great job with Thailand sourced built vehiles so it really comes down to “best practice” production systems and quality control.

    If car manufactures are not ashamed of where there cars are built then they should have more transparancy in their marketing materials and not just when it suits them.

  • Flying High

    Sadly, this does will not auger well for Audi from a quality point of view. China and quality are not synonymous. And it has nothing to do with how many years of manufacturing they have under their belt. China has been manufacturing for nigh on a century. It is simply cultural – and quality is not something that has been or is likely to ever be part of their cultural make up.

  • BlueMan

    Chinese steel poor quality? Your kidding right?
    Many aircraft quality materials come from China, and are trusted just as much as any other source.
    Where do you think most of the aero & automotive fasteners that are ued throughout the world come from?

  • demonaz

    Flying High, your comment is extremely offensive. Basically, you’re saying that Chinese people and culture do not value quality and will never will.

    Thing is, you don’t know anything about Chinese culture, CHinese history, or the language.

    I bet you’ve also never sat in a Chinese-made BMW, Mercedes Benz or Audi before have you?

  • Biker

    New Mercedes C-Class owners – eat your heart out. Made in (South) Africa.
    It is all about economies of scale and cost of labor at the end of the day. When you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.