Volkswagen expands Leipzig Porsche Factory

Leipzig is set to become an even more relevant automotive location, with Volkswagen optimising the Leipzig factory of its partner Porsche. Michael Macht, Volkswagen’s production executive, told German automotive magazine Automobilwoche that the Leipzig factory had a “very good chance” to be expanded to a fully-fledged automotive factory.

This also increases the possibility for Porsche’s small SUV Cajun to be produced in Leipzig. The Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, confirmed that the expansion of the Leipzig factory would go ahead, but has not stated how much money would be invested.

The Cajun is planned to hit the market in 2013, as the “little brother” of the Porsche Cayenne model. Porsche’s Stuttgart headquarters will announce in March 2011 where the Cajun, based on the Audi Q5, will be built. It is likely that the Porsche Cajun will share a number of components with the Audi model in order to save on production costs.

The Porsche Cayenne is already produced in Leipzig. Producing the Cajun would most likely create additional jobs at the Saxony factory; overall, Porsche, according to media reports, is aiming to create 1,800 additional jobs through new projects until 2018.