Audi 2006 Annual Report Download - page 148

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The Neckarsulm plant manufactured 233,169 (208,673) units of the A6 car line last year.
As well as the saloon and Avant, the A6 allroad quattro and the S6 have been in production
there since 2006.
In its first full year in production, the Audi Q7 premium SUV exceeded all expectations.
72,188 (1,194) units of this model were built by the end of the year. The daily production
capacity was already stepped up from 200 to 300 units shortly after this model’s launch, in
response to high demand.
22,468 (21,509) deluxe saloons of the Audi A8 series were built at the Neckarsulm plant
during the past financial year. This surpassed the previous year’s high total by 4.5 percent.
Mid-way through the year, the ultra-sporty Audi S8 version joined it on the market, adding
impetus to demand for the car line.
Engine production
2006 2005
Audi Group 1,895,695 1,695,045
of which AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. 1,893,600 1,693,609
of which Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. 2,095 1,436
In the past financial year, the Audi Group increased engine production to a total of 1,895,695
(1,695,045) units, representing a rise of 11.8 percent. The proportion of diesel engines in the
production total remained at the previous year’s high level of 53.5 (53.9) percent.
Of the engines manufactured by AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft., 728,191 (682,337) were
supplied to companies within the Audi Group. 1,056,504 (954,282) engines were built on
behalf of other companies in the Volkswagen Group, and 91,287 (32,950) for third-party cus-
tomers.
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. produced 2,095 (1,436) power units in the past financial
year, comprising 1,651 (972) ten-cylinder and 444 (464) twelve-cylinder engines.
Production start of the new Audi R8
The celebrations to mark “100 Years of Car Production at Neckarsulm” last autumn coin-
cided with the start of production of the new Audi R8 super sports car at Neckarsulm. The
Neckarsulm plant boasts many years of experience in lightweight aluminium construction,
which is also used in the building of the Audi R8. This permits competitive small-scale pro-
duction of a high technological calibre.
New hybrid-construction TT
The official production start of the new TT Coupé in March 2006 also heralded in a new de-
parture in body manufacturing. Audi Space Frame technology was refined for the new TT,
with high-strength steel components now incorporated. The current hybrid-design TT body
comprises around 70 percent aluminium and 30 percent steel. This has appreciably reduced
the car’s overall weight and given it good weight distribution; the TT consequently already
has the ideal basis for outstanding handling characteristics in its body. The TT Coupé was
followed by the production launch of the new TT Roadster in November. The production line
is capable of turning out 270 bodies for this sports car every day.