In its factory in Devínská Nová Ves near Bratislava, the Volkswagen Group is investing in the announced production of a new generation of Škoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat models. This was announced by the Slovak division of the carmaker after the transfer of production of the mentioned brands to Slovakia was confirmed on Friday by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen.
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Production of the Škoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat, which will begin in Slovakia in 2023, will not require the expansion of the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava. The company will use a significant part of these investments to modify the lines in the paint shop and for additional technologies.
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Volkswagen factory in Devínská Nová Ves (Illustration photo)
Photo: Volkswagen
The Slovak division of Volkswagen will create 2,000 new jobs in connection with the production of these two new models. However, according to Oliver Grünberg, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Slovakia, the factory will not increase production capacity.
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Slovak Minister of Finance Eduard Heger welcomed the new investment of Volkswagen, which has about 12,000 employees in Slovakia. It is one of the largest employers in the country, although last year it reduced the number of employees by about 3,000. In the summer, the Slovak government promised to support Volkswagen’s investment, as well as the construction of rental apartments in the vicinity of the factory.
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The Škoda Superb of the current generation will remain in production in Kvasiny, the successor will move to Slovakia.
Photo: Jan Handrejch, Law
Škoda will be developing the new generation Superb and Passat models in Mladá Boleslav, as the carmaker confirmed last week. In a statement, Škoda Auto explains the relocation of superb production from Kvasiny to Bratislava by long-term struggle with the capacity of production lines and growing delivery times.
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The carmaker wants to use the freed capacity to increase the production of SUV models Karoq and Kodiaq. According to a News source, this also applies to the future generation of the Fabia model, which, thanks to this, should not lose the rare version of the station wagon today.
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“We welcome the decision regarding the occupancy planning of the group plants. At Škoda Auto, we will acquire additional capacities in the Czech Republic that are urgently needed for our growth plan. This will create the conditions for further expansion of our brand while maintaining high profitability, “explains the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Škoda Auto Thomas Schäfer.
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The unions sharply criticize the move. “Volkswagen Czech Republic stole the most profitable flagship from the Czech Republic,” he said uncompromisingly last week trade union leader Jaroslav Povšík. According to him, the board of directors of Škoda Auto fought little to maintain the production of the superb, and in his opinion also fears about the function.
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The production lines of the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava are currently driven, or have recently been driven down, mainly by sport utility vehicles (SUVs) as well as small city cars, including Škoda Citigoe iV electric cars.
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Last year, Volkswagen produced 377,750 vehicles in Slovakia, more than two-thirds of which were Audi Q7, Audi Q8, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne SUVs. Since its entry into Slovakia in 1991, Volkswagen has so far invested over 4.5 billion euros (119 billion crowns) in the country.
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Volkswagen is one of four carmakers that assemble vehicles in the country below the Tatras. At the time of economic growth before the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, the automotive industry was the main engine of the Slovak economy, which last year maintained its position as the largest car manufacturer per capita.
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