The milestone 100,000th vehicle that has now been produced in Limmer is a California Ocean (2.0 TSI, 150 kW) with 4MOTION, 7-speed DSG, two-tone Candy White/Starlight Blue Metallic paintwork with matching dark blue pop-up roof sides and awning, cycle rack, navigation system, kitchen units, wood-look flooring and much more.
Dr Eckhard Scholz, Chairman of the Brand Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said at the celebratory event: “We could hardly write or continue this story of a legend’s success in any better way: because 100,000 vehicles also mean 100,000 customers living their dream of independence, travel and enjoyment with the California. The California is justifiably an icon among camping and leisure vehicles, the most popular and best-selling mobile home of its kind.”
Addressing the workforce, Scholz said: “This success is first and foremost your success. For with your passion and expertise you not only create automotive value ‘Made in Hannover’ every day, but each of you has also contributed and continues to contribute to the fact that this vehicle achieved cult status for multiple generations and will remain in the future too a mobile home with built-in holiday joy.”
Bertina Murkovic, Chair of the Works Council, said: “Hannover has been, and remains, the home of the Bulli. And that includes the California, a very special and unique vehicle that you, dear colleagues, build using your skill and know-how, thus making you too a part of this story of success. The decision to make the California in Limmer has been proven to be right. From initially 60 employees here on the Limmer site, there is now a workforce of around 300. My thanks therefore go to the entire team, including from the main Hannover site, who with their great commitment have together made the ‘Cali’ a cult vehicle!”
Volker Eissele, Head of Customized Solution at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles added: “We are continually enhancing our best seller, fine-tuning its design and perfecting its engineering. As a result, the California offers through its diverse array of practical functions unlimited scope for travelling and unparalleled flexibility in everyday life.”
California production
This home on four wheels began its story of success 30 years ago. The California was developed jointly with ‘Westfalia’. It was based on the third generation of the Transporter and initially produced in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. Since 2004, the California has been developed and made by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles solely at the Hannover-Limmer plant. The California production facility covers approximately 13,000 square metres.
A work force of around 300 is employed there, operating in three shifts. The base vehicles come to Limmer on trucks from the main Hannover-Stöcken plant. The bodies have been prepared for the next stage of production and thus have the necessary cut-out for the pop-up roof. Working by hand, experts then fit out the California to customer specifications. Just recently, for being the most popular compact camper van, the California was awarded the title “Mobile Home of the Year 2018”. Over the 30 years since the California was launched, more than 160,000 units have been produced in total, 100,000 of them in Hannover- Limmer.
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