Brand will inject R$100m to modernize assembly line with new machines, tools and systems
06/30/2022
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Audi had halted activities in Brazil for over a year — Foto: Reprodução/Instagram
Audi unveiled Wednesday morning an investment of R$100 million to resume vehicle production in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná. The decision to make cars again in Brazil after having halted activities for over a year was announced in December 2021. But the German carmaker had not yet defined investments.
According to the company, which made a ceremony to restart the assembly line and invited Paraná Governor Ratinho Junior, the funds will be used to modernize the assembly line with new machines, tools, quality control equipment, information technology systems and logistics infrastructure.
The brand had already invested R$446 million in Brazil since the creation of the Inovar-Auto automotive program in 2012. Two models will be made in Paraná: Q3 and Q3 Sportback 2.0. Both will have combustion engines.
The vehicles will be imported in semi knocked-down (SKD) kits – in sets of parts partly put together and shipped to the port of Paranaguá from Audi’s plant in Hungary.
Initially, Audi’s line, which is located in the same plant as sister brand Volkswagen, will have a production capacity of 4,000 vehicles per year in two shifts. The vehicles produced will be destined, initially, only to the domestic market.
*By Marli Olmos — São Paulo
Source: Valor International