orsche sets new quality standards

orsche sets new quality standards
DTM : Audi’s perspective as they head to Norisring
DTM aces ready to race at the Norisring
Porsche returns to Le Mans in 2014

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 05:33 AM PDT

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is girding itself for tomorrow’s challenges with a forward-looking quality strategy. The growth in vehicle production, an increasingly diverse model range and technical complexity, innovative drive concepts and discerning customers’ individual expectations of premium sports cars require the continuous development of all quality criteria. That is the goal of the international quality conference for which 150 experts from the sports car manufacturer’s development, production, purchasing and worldwide sales areas are meeting at Porsche’s ultramodern Leipzig plant.

“The degree of transparency of our customized lean production processes is one of the primary guarantors of our sporty vehicles’ extraordinary product quality”, said Wolfgang Leimgruber, Porsche AG Board of Management Member for Production and Logistics. Porsche production methods are constantly being refined within a continuous improvement process, collectively by all employees. They are held up as an example in expert circles worldwide – and are even transferable to totally different industries. Mr Leimgruber said: “The highly efficient Porsche principle gives us the flexibility to deliver on our customers’ many and varied individual equipment preferences while at the same time not merely maintaining quality levels but enhancing them. This cannot be taken for granted in the industry.”

The Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer does however depend on reliable partners. “The only way in which we can reliably achieve our objectives is if we and our suppliers adhere to the same jointly determined rigorous principles. That is why we believe in long-term partners we can cultivate and develop close ties with. At the end of the day quality does not stop at the factory gate”, explains Mr Leimgruber.

Dr. Stefan Knirsch, Director of the Corporate Quality department is pursuing a holistic approach with his strategy: “For us a perfect and fascinating product goes without saying. But that is far from being the whole story. Of all people, customers who purchase a high value vehicle expect premium quality in all aspects. Only if each customer care experience is perfect; before, during and very long after purchase as well, can brand quality achieve its full credibility.”

This is why Knirsch rigorously ties all parts of the company into a quality concept with uniform standards and objectives. He does though value individual solutions when it comes to delivery: “We engage with our customers’ different cultural needs with an empathy that rivals the precision with which, for example, we tailor our sports cars to extreme climatic differences in our more than 110 markets around the world. That too is quality.”

Volkswagen partners presented with award for service quality

orsche sets new quality standards

DTM : Audi’s perspective as they head to Norisring

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 04:55 AM PDT

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Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport)

“The Norisring has always been tough terrain for us in recent years. Although we often came close it never worked out completely. Maybe we’ll be able to use the many good results we’ve scored as tailwind to finally clinch victory at the Norisring – the large crowd of Audi people lining the circuit would certainly be pleased to see that. And we’ll give everything to make it happen.”

Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline)

“Motivation in the team is very high. Audi has shown that it is absolutely in contention for victory with both vehicle generations this season. We’ll try and deliver a top performance at the Norisring. We’re fully motivated and will give everything in front of our home audience. If we manage to take our performance from the Lausitzring to Nuremberg with us we’ll have a realistic chance of fighting for victory.”

Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix)

“Obviously we want to again clinch a nice result at the Norisring now that we’ve got such a good flow. Nuremberg has seen a similar Mercedes dominance for years as Lausitz did until recently. Maybe now we’ll also be able to put a surprise on the track at the city race as we’ve got a weight advantage over the newer cars. We’ll do everything within our means to achieve another good result on the podium.”

Arno Zensen (Team Director Audi Sport Team Rosberg)

“The Norisring is always a special venue. It’s the German Monaco. And I believe that with the stop-and-go rhythm on this track we’ve got pretty good chances with our cars as they weigh 25 kilograms less than the new vehicles. We’re traveling to Nuremberg with a lot of momentum and another point-finish in our pocket. We want to continue like that.”

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers

Filipe Albuquerque (26/P), TV Movie Audi A4 DTM #18 (Audi Sport Team Rosberg)

“This will be a difficult task because I’ve never been to the Norisring before. It’s a city street circuit with very aggressive tarmac and many bumps. Good knowledge of the track is very important there. The circuit has only three turns and the time gaps are extremely small. But my weekends in the DTM are getting increasingly better and more thrilling.”

Mattias Ekstrom (32/S), Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #8 (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline)

“It’s always nice to go to the Norisring. It’s Audi’s home round. It would be great to drive another race there again that’s as good as last year’s was. Maybe it’ll even be a little bit better. In the team we’re giving everything for a good showing.”

Rahel Frey (25/CH), Glamour Audi A4 DTM #15 (Audi Sport Team Phoenix)

“I’ve never driven at the Norisring before. But I’m looking forward to this city street circuit with huge anticipation. I like street circuits. I know Pau and have always done well there. I’m really excited about this race. It’s time to set a highlight.”

Oliver Jarvis (27/GB), Audi Sport performance cars A4 DTM #5 (Audi Sport Team Abt)

“At the Norisring I scored my best result of the season last year. It’s always great to compete there. The atmosphere is simply fantastic. My season is progressively improving. I want to clinch a good result there at all costs.”

Miguel Molina (22/E), Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #22 (Audi Sport Team Abt Junior)

“This is a nice circuit and it’s closely linked to the DTM legend. I want to give everything to be better there than I was last year when I had a weekend to forget. We should be able to easily do that. I’m already looking forward to the weekend.

Edoardo Mortara (24/I/F), Playboy Audi A4 DTM #19 (Audi Sport Team Rosberg)

“Of course I know the Norisring well. I contested Formula 3 there for several years. I’ve won there before and was most of the time in the group of front runners. City circuits suit me well. And now we’ve got the advantage of our car weighing 25 kilos less than the new cars. Everyone says that that’s a big benefit. Hopefully that’s true. Nevertheless, you’ve got to give everything. As on any weekend I’ll deliver maximum performance.”

Timo Scheider (32/D), AUTO TEST Audi A4 DTM #4 (Audi Sport Team Abt)

“We’ve got some unfinished business at the Norisring. Two years ago I was leading the race almost up to the end. I’ve got fond memories of our performances there. In 2009 we were already on pole but an Audi victory has been missing in our track record for a few years. We need and want to change this. I’m hoping that with the tailwind from Lausitz we’ll finally be able to win. It would be nice to be on the top of the podium at the season’s midpoint. After a difficult start into the season I’ve managed to join the group of front runners. I’m hoping for things to continue this way.”

Martin Tomczyk (29/D), Schaeffler Audi A4 DTM #14 (Audi Sport Team Phoenix)

“Many people are asking me whether we’ll be able to continue our form. That’s hard to say because the Norisring has been a tough track for us in the past nine years. Jamie (Green) has won there before in a year-old car. I’m hoping for us to be able to do that too. It wouldn’t be bad if a year-old Audi car won there for a change.”

DTM: Four Audis on top in first free practice at the Norisring

DTM : Audi’s perspective as they head to Norisring

DTM aces ready to race at the Norisring

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 04:18 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

DTM Norisring 2011

At a press conference held in the run-up to the fifth round of the DTM season, staged by Nuremberg’s Norisring, DTM aces Christian Vietoris, Jamie Green and Timo Scheider answered the questions of the local media representatives. The event was held in the ‘Museum fur Kommunikation’, with an Audi A4 DTM and an AMG Mercedes C-Class being showcased in the building’s atrium.

“I will have to cope with massive pressure on the Norisring weekend,” Vietoris admitted with a twinkle in his eyes. “After all, Jamie has won the Norisring round three times, with the C-Class I’m racing this year, thus demonstrating that it has got what it takes to succeed in Nuremberg.” Meanwhile, Green wants to continue his streak of Norisring wins but is well aware that doing so won’t be easy: “I’d love to secure my fourth consecutive win in this race,” he says, “But talking a look at the first for rounds of the season you can see that the DTM racing is extremely close, this year.” Timo Scheider, however, made clear that he is determined to prevent Green from making it four Norisring wins in a row. “It’s the most prestigious race of the season and I want to take this trophy to Ingolstadt”, he stressed. “The race enjoys a special status as the circuit represents an extreme, due to its characteristics. And nowhere else, we DTM drivers have closer contact to our supporters. I truly am looking forward to the Norisring.”

DTM Norisring 2011

The support program of the only street race on the DTM calendar will feature an additional highlight. On Sunday afternoon, new Le Mans winner Benoît Treluyer will have the honor to present his winning car – the R15 TDI – to the Norisring crowds. The demonstration laps with the diesel powered sports prototype have been scheduled for 12:05hrs CEST (11:05hrs BST).

Tickets for the highlight of the DTM season still are available in nearly every category. They can be ordered at the ‘DTM-Ticketline’, +49 (0) 1805/723000 (14ct/min from the German landline / maximum mobile-call price 42ct/min) or online at www.dtm.com. All the tickets are so called ‘Combi-tickets’, granting the ticket holder access to the circuit, the respective grandstand and the paddock.

DTM: Four Audis on top in first free practice at the Norisring

DTM aces ready to race at the Norisring

Porsche returns to Le Mans in 2014

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 08:19 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Porsche returns to Le Mans with a works-run LMP1 sports prototype. The first outing of the completely new developed race car is planned for the year 2014. With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in Le Mans. The most recent win was in 1998 with the Porsche 911 GT1.

"Motorsport was always an essential part of the Porsche brand," emphasises Matthias Müller, President of the Executive Board at Porsche AG. "So for us it was only a matter of time before we returned as a factory to the top league of racing. Porsche's successes in Le Mans are unrivalled. We want to follow up on this with the 17th outright victory."

With the RS Spyder sports prototype that was run with great success from 2006 to 2008 by the factory-backed Penske Racing team in the USA and to 2010 by several customer teams worldwide, Porsche has set the benchmark recently in the LMP2 category. "With the RS Spyder we proved that our motorsport engineers in Weissach are at the forefront," says Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG. "For instance, we were the first to run a high-revving race engine with direct fuel injection, DFI, setting new standards in performance and efficiency. Recently, with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, we adopted a completely new drive technology for racing purposes and achieved a considerable reduction in consumption."

Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport, is already prepared for one of the most challenging development programmes in the company's history. "We're looking forward to the task of developing new technologies and to continue on with the success of the Porsche RS Spyder. After the conclusion of our works-supported sports prototype programme in the American Le Mans Series we have kept up with the latest technological advances. Now we will begin with detailed research in order to evaluate the various concept alternatives for our new car. These obviously depend on how the regulations for the year 2014 look in detail. In principle, these regulations are interesting for us because the integration of our hybrid technology in the vehicle concept is one possible option."

Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood claimed the first overall victory for Porsche in 1970 with the legendary 917 short-tail. The 16th and by now last overall win was secured by Laurent Aiello, Stéphane Ortelli and Allan McNish in 1998 with the 911 GT1. In the years 2008 and 2009, the Porsche RS Spyder sports prototype won the title in the LMP2 category.