Volkswagen AG CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder, left, then Russia's Economic Development Minister German Gref, right, and Kaluga Region Governor Anatoly Artamonov, center, attend the Volkswagen factory foundation stone ceremony in Kaluga region's Grabtsevo village.
Photo: Dmitry Lebedev
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Volkswagen Assembles VW Passat, Skoda Octavia in Russia
Volkswagen launched Tuesday production of VW Passat and Skoda Octavia Tour at its new plant in Kaluga. The plans are to set to assembling VW Jetta and Skoda Fabia in spring of 2008 and to add VW Tiguan later on. Overall, Volkswagen is willing to manufacture up to seven models in Kaluga.
The first cars assembled at Russia’s plant of VW will be offered to buyers early next year, once the necessary stock is laid in. Overall, roughly 66,000 cars are to be assembled by the end of 2008.
The launch of a new model, a small sedan designed on the VW Polo platform, is slated for the middle of 2009, once Kaluga plant proceeds to the whole-cycle production, including press forming, painting and welding of bodies. After it, the plant will be able to manufacture 115,000 cars a year with the optional extension of production capacity to 150,000 cars.
VW laid a foundation stone of its Russia’s facilities 13 months ago, on October 28, 2006. EBRD that granted the loan of ˆ750 million to implement the project owns 20 percent in the enterprise.
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