MEXICO - Volkswagen tests the line in Puebla, Mexico, to ensure perfect build quality of the LWB Tiguan SUV.

• The first test body was built to check the calibration of the body shop equipment and the processes involved

Volkswagen de México has reached an early production milestone with the assembly of the first test body-in-white for the upcoming Tiguan Long Wheel Base, LWB, scheduled to begin its production during the first quarter of 2017.

After the construction of the new building for the body shop was concluded at the end of 2015, equipment and machinery installation is now nearing completion. The first test body was built in June to check the calibration of body shop equipment and processes.

The new body shop facility has an extension of 70,800 square meters. . So far, nearly 700 containers with more than 50,000 tons of equipment have arrived at the Puebla plant to be installed in the new building. 

The core of the highly automated production process are 800 Fanuc welding robots. Training programs for the personnel responsible for the programming of the robots and the automation controls are ongoing.

The first test body of Tiguan LWB was presented to the group of executives and workers that were part of this milestone.

Volkswagen de México will produce the Tiguan LWB, starting early 2017, for the worldwide markets, with exception of China.