Volkswagen production at Wolfsburg plant at lowest point since 1958

Volkswagen's largest production facility is facing its worst year in more than half a decade – recording its lowest output since 1958.

According to Reuters, the worldwide headquarters of the Volkswagen Group at Wolfsburg in Germany has produced just 300,000 vehicles year-to-date, less than half the typical annual output of the plant.

Usually sitting around 780,000 units per year, the slump has been attributed to the global shortage of semiconductors which has affected the Volkswagen Group throughout most of 2021, limiting vehicle arrivals in Australia.

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Production of the new Mk8 Golf has been affected during 2021

Last year was one of the lowest years of production over the past decade, as COVID-related shutdowns froze manufacturing facilities across Europe, leading to roughly 500,000 vehicles rolling off the Wolfsburg production line.

In 2018, Volkswagen outlined plans to reach one million cars produced at Wolfsburg annually – although with the interruptions in 2020 and now 2021, it's unlikely the combined figure will reach this target.

Produced at the plant are the Golf and Tiguan, two of Volkswagen's most popular models in Australia – rounding out 2020, the Golf sat atop the brand's local sales on 10,012 units sold with the Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace in second, combining for 9148 vehicles shifted.