Audi Q2 enters series production at Ingolstadt

The Audi Q2 compact SUV has entered series production at the luxury carmaker’s Ingolstadt plant in Germany.

Albert Mayer, plant director at the Audi site in Ingolstadt, said: “The start of series production of a new model is always a great challenge and something special for a plant and its employees. We are proud to be building the Audi Q2 – the Q‑family entry model – here in Ingolstadt for the world market. I would like to thank the Audi team for the successful start of production.”

Max Wäcker, deputy chairman of the works council, stated: “The works council has worked consistently and successfully to ensure that the Audi Q2 is built in Ingolstadt. This is necessary for good utilisation of our main plant’s capacity and is therefore a great success for all Audi employees in Ingolstadt.”

The new Q2 is being produced on the A3 line. It passes through the body shop, paint shop and assembly together with the A3. This required extensive modifications while production was running as well as new logistics planning. Production of the Q2 is now being gradually increased to approximately 450 units a day.

At the Ingolstadt site, Audi is investing in innovative methods to master the increasing complexity of production. For the start of production of the Q2 for example, a fully automatic module store for the drivetrain was installed on the assembly line, increasing local storage capacity.

The new Q2, which had its world premiere at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, represents the 13th model series from Audi. According to the carmaker, the compact SUV combines modern design with a high level of functionality – it is a car for everyday driving and for leisure time. Its attractions include five million individual equipment versions as well as high-end connectivity, infotainment and assistance systems. The Q2 starts with six different engines: three TFSI and three TDI units delivering between 85 kW (116 hp) and 140 kW (190 hp).

The Ingolstadt plant is the largest production facility within the Audi Group and the second-largest car plant in Europe. The company produces more than half a million automobiles a year in Ingolstadt with a new Audi driving off the assembly lines there every 30 seconds – more than 2,500 cars a day.