Mexico – The first test body-in-white (BIW) for the Tiguan long wheelbase (LWB) was assembled on June 10 and used to check the calibration of bodyshop equipment and processes. The plant in south-central Mexico is due to launch full production of the model in the first quarter of 2017.
The construction of a bodyshop for the new Tiguan, covering 70,800 sq.m, was completed at the end of 2015, and Volkswagen (VW) says it has now almost finished the installation of equipment and machinery. Key to the highly automated production will be 800 Fanuc robots; VW is currently training the personnel responsible for the programming and automation controls.
The Tiguan LWB will be manufactured at Puebla for worldwide markets, with the exception of China.