Going to Germany - Factory Tour Info

[Ricardo]

Since we are all car guys here, a trip to Germany probably should include at least one factory tour. As I have learned this requires more than showing up and paying the admission fee. Below are some details I was able to uncover for each of the 3 tours:


Mercedes Benz (Stuttgart) - website

For the Mercedes factory tour, the museum is open tues - sun, 9.00 am. - 6.00 pm. and one can take the factory tour for an additional admission. English language Factory tours 11:45am. The address (linked to google maps) is : Mercedes-Benz Museum, Mercedesstr. 100, 70372 Stuttgart


Porsche (Stuttgart) - website

For the Porsche factory tour, it is requested that an email be sent to inform them of your interest with dates so they can manage the scheduling. The person I had contact with was Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and the tour is free! The museum is open tue - sun 9:00 am - 6:00 pm and the factory tour is mon-friday at 10:00 am and lasts 90-120 mins. The address (linked to google maps) is: Porsche Museum, Porscheplatz, 70435 Stuttgart and phone number +49 (0)711 / 911 - 20911


BMW (Munich) - website

For the BMW tour, it seems they want to speak to you on the phone for a booking. I had emailed the BMW Welt Infoservice to get this information... excerpt from the reply email:

"In order to clarify all the details required for a booking please contact us via phone at 0049 (0)89-1250 160 01 if you want to make a reservation for a tour."
​

Info current as of date of this posting Jan 20, 2014.

 

[elbeik]

Some photos of my trips to Germany to get a preview:
https://picasaweb.google.com/110105668819221872753/MbMuseum0812?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/110105668819221872753/PorscheMuseum0812?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/110105668819221872753/BmwMuseum?authuser=0&feat=directlink

And from an older trip:
https://picasaweb.google.com/110105668819221872753/PorscheMuseum?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/110105668819221872753/MercedesBenzMuseum?authuser=0&feat=directlink

 

[gerryvz]

Thanks for this information. I have never visited Porsche and BMW for factory tours, but have done the MB factory tour four times over the past 15 years. Generally MB will accommodate you with a special English tour if you make arrangements in advance via phone, but they do offer two "standing" English tours per day, one as you said around 11:45 AM and the other one often in the afternoon. I have generally just "shown up" in the morning and inquired, and they told me to wait until the English tour started. It's a great opportunity to grab something to eat at one of the restaurants and coffee shops there, or spend some time perusing the great gift shop. Or, head into the delivery center and do some people-watching to see the excitement of when people get called to go down to the delivery floor and take delivery of their car (you can watch from the lounge up above). One of my factory tours, I just did the German tour.

I did visit the old Porsche Museum once and the new one two times now. BMW ..... well, I've driven by the BMW World and their facilities in Munich many dozens of times, and also their facility in Regensburg.

It would be good to get information on Audi as well. Audi has an excellent museum in their original (pre-war) home of Zwickau, in the former East Germany, which I have visited several times. I am sure they have a museum & offer factory tours in Ingolstadt as well, through I have never made the attempt to visit them.

 

[Bogeyman]

I notice that you list the factory tour in conjunction with the museum.
Is that tour of the Unterturkheim factory adjacent to the museum?
I have taken the Sindelfingen tour several times but didn't realize that there was one through the factory next to the museum.

 

[gerryvz]

No, the Sindelfingen tour is different. & not in the same location as the museum (in Untertürkheim).


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[autounion]

I've done the Zwickau museum, it is really worth the trip north, especially if you're an Auto-Union fan. There are tours of both Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm Audi factories. I've done them both numerous times and really like the Ingolstadt factory as the Audi Forum is right door. Stay at the Piushof Hotel, a really nice and clean hotel just five minutes walk from the factory. You should book in advance, via the interwebs, specify English tour if you don't do the German thing. You can also do a separate R8 line tour in Neckarsulm, need to book well in advance and it's Euro 150 for an unspecified number of participants. Really worthwhile.

Whilst I've done BMW in the past, I don't bother now because I really don't like BMW ...

In Munchen, don't forget the Deutsches Museum auto museum, it's now separate from the main museum and quite a distance away. This is really cool and has an Auto-Union too, and it's genuine albeit with a body now.

I ran an automotive themed tour company in Europe in the late 90's - museums, factorys, historic racing and GPs...

KJ

 

[clarkz71]

If you want to see the cars being built, from raw materials to driving off the line it's Sindlefingen.

I went in November 1985.

Stuttgart is the engine assembly plant and museum.

 

[Jimbo]

I've done the Zwickau museum, it is really worth the trip north, especially if you're an Auto-Union fan. There are tours of both Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm Audi factories. I've done them both numerous times and really like the Ingolstadt factory as the Audi Forum is right door. Stay at the Piushof Hotel, a really nice and clean hotel just five minutes walk from the factory. You should book in advance, via the interwebs, specify English tour if you don't do the German thing. You can also do a separate R8 line tour in Neckarsulm, need to book well in advance and it's Euro 150 for an unspecified number of participants. Really worthwhile.

Whilst I've done BMW in the past, I don't bother now because I really don't like BMW ...

In Munchen, don't forget the Deutsches Museum auto museum, it's now separate from the main museum and quite a distance away. This is really cool and has an Auto-Union too, and it's genuine albeit with a body now.

I ran an automotive themed tour company in Europe in the late 90's - museums, factorys, historic racing and GPs...

KJ

KJ....you are much to quiet. Might you come out of retirement and possibly facilitate a E500E themed trip to the homeland in the future if there was interest ?