1ADDICTS Members Tour BMW Leipzig Factory. Insight Into Production Process

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Beck white

I've wondered why they don't use carbon fibre in the 1M as well, I just thought it had something todo with the car being as small as it is not needing it. Or in fact it may need the steel roof overhead for weight purposes. I'm not sure but that's what I thought

It is because of the cost to make a CF roof vs a steel roof. Our guide said its like for every kilo you save with using CF... the costs is like seven times as much as it is to make out of steel. Perhaps that is why onlyhe M3 and M6 have had CF roof's.


I am curious how BMW intends to reduce the cost of CF for the new i3/i8 models. AND how will those cars be repaired once involved in an accident? The i3/i8 will be entirely made out of carbon fiber. Should make for some interesting repairs.


Dackel

[Pentium]

Great tour, I wish I can get some of those toys!! I like them

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I am curious how BMW intends to reduce the cost of CF for the new i3/i8 models. AND how will those cars be repaired once involved in an accident? The i3/i8 will be entirely made out of carbon fiber. Should make for some interesting repairs.


Dackel

By buyng into as a business partner one of the larger CF supplier / manufacturer / distribuitors .. IMAGINE the buying power the BMW will have for the raw materials.....they will "wal-mart" it to death, hence driving down the cost for not only themselves but for others to be competitive.

There is no repair process that i know of for structural members... on the other hand some simple parts may have a new process developed.. remember this stuff is going to be painted..no need to match weaves or anything..

just my .02

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

One caught my eye… “Mineral White”. I asked our guide about that color… he said its used on the 1M! But I said… no… you mean Alpine White, don’t you. He said he was pretty sure that Mineral White was being used. So… ???

1M is definately Alpine White, not Mineral White.

Mineral White is an option for the X1 though, which is why you saw it in the paint shop.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Perhaps that is why onlyhe M3 and M6 have had CF roof's.

1M didn't get CF roof panel because of the different construction, the car would have to undergo a whole new crash test process for certification, and there wasn't the time or budget to so so on such a limited production duration vehicle.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The e87 will continued to be built in Regensburg until SOP for the F20

He also said that Leipzig will make both the e82/e88 along side of the F20. But around November the Leipzig Factory will close down for four or five weeks to retooling the new model. BMW needs to change some press machines for the F20 SOP roll out. This seemed kind of confusing to me.

I'm a bit confused by that as well.....?

I thought F20 production had already started at Regensburg....and wouldn't be moved to Leipzig until it is reconfigured for the F20 after the Nov shutdown, whereby the E82/E88 would continue alongside the F20 there until EOP of the E82/E88 in summer 2012.

[elitt13]

thanks !!!

Perhars you'd see me 1///M BSM on the line...

[jnm]

I don't think you can repair carbon fiber, first of all when it breaks it probably will shatter in many small pieces rather than one clean break (it certainly will not bend!) and then you'd have to repair with resin and would loose the structural integrity brought by the weave of the fiber. Just look how Formula 1 cars body parts (mostly made of CF) do in a crash: they break in a million small pieces (dispersing impact energy in the process) and the guys just replace the whole thing (hopefully recycling the bits of the old one).

CF prices are bound to go down but CF will probably always remain more expensive than metal, besides the raw material the manufacturing process is more complex and longer, metal you can stamp or mold, CF you have to lay (properly) on a shape, pour the resin and then bake in an autoclave (high temperature + pressure) and let it cure (more time involved).

[HALOTHANE]

Which vehicle model production is being transferred to China? Or did I misread the thread somewhere.

[MikeinAlexandria]

Great tour summary and pics. Thanks! I heard alot about this factory from the folks in Munich. Our Munich tour guide made it clear that the Leipzig factory is much more modern, and that yes, most of its capacity is for the X1. Curiously enough, some say the X1 is not being sold in the US because of the dollar/euro ratio. I was told that every X1 built has a foreign owner and that BMW is at capacity on them. The factory runs 18 hours a day!

Now I really want to visit Leipzig. Next trip to Europe! Meanwhile, looking at touring the South Carolina factory and maybe doing a driving school.

[KIYO]

Thank you for your write up Dackelone.

[dmunozj]

great awsome pictures. so envy of you.....

[Das Ein]

Dackelone,


Did you happen to take any pics of the 1M's being built? My VO 1M is being built right now, and is supposed to be done in the next day or two.

I wonder if one of them was mine?

[JulieDriving]

OP, thanks for the interesting write-up and pics!

Originally Posted by MikeinAlexandria

Curiously enough, some say the X1 is not being sold in the US because of the dollar/euro ratio. I was told that every X1 built has a foreign owner and that BMW is at capacity on them. The factory runs 18 hours a day!

The Canadian dollar is at par with the US dollar and the X1 is sold here. It's selling like hotcakes here.

[positiveions]

that is ssooo awesome

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by 1MVO

Which vehicle model production is being transferred to China? Or did I misread the thread somewhere.

The e81 - the two door hatch. BMW will build that car in China while the four door (hatch) F20 will be built in Liepzig.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Das Ein

Dackelone,


Did you happen to take any pics of the 1M's being built? My VO 1M is being built right now, and is supposed to be done in the next day or two.

I wonder if one of them was mine?

We were not allowed to bring cameras or even cell phones inside the factory. Sorry no photos.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by MikeinAlexandria

Great tour summary and pics. Thanks! I heard alot about this factory from the folks in Munich. Our Munich tour guide made it clear that the Leipzig factory is much more modern, and that yes, most of its capacity is for the X1. Curiously enough, some say the X1 is not being sold in the US because of the dollar/euro ratio. I was told that every X1 built has a foreign owner and that BMW is at capacity on them. The factory runs 18 hours a day!

Now I really want to visit Leipzig. Next trip to Europe! Meanwhile, looking at touring the South Carolina factory and maybe doing a driving school.

YuP! Leipzig is so much more modern then Munich's plant. Night and day difference. Leipzig production line runs on a two shift system. 18 hours sounds about right. Only the body shop/press shop - runs 24 hours a day, six days a week.

[Dackelone]

Hi Guys,

I was in Munchen yesterday to tour M Studio. I was also at the Welt with M3adjuster on his ED delivery. He is one happy camper! While at the Welt I asked about 1M scale models. The Welt is all sold out. The lady there did not know IF they would get any more models or not. I also asked our guide at the M Studio.. he said these models ARE limited to around 1,500 pieces.


Here was the scene at the gift shop at Leipzig on Tuesday. They had 100 models set aside for factory workers... I counted sixty four models left when I was there. Looks like they are selling very well!

IF anyone want to call the gift shop at the Welt thier phone number is: 011-49-89-35466464 calling from the states.

[Texas F1]

Not that I'll have any chance of getting ahold of one, but are all these models exclusively in the VO color? Any AW?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Texas F1

Not that I'll have any chance of getting ahold of one, but are all these models exclusively in the VO color? Any AW?

The models are only available in VO.

[EINSER M]

great stuff dackel!