Here's How Porsche Changes the Assembly Line to Build Your Favorite 911s

There aren't many vehicles offered in the range of configurations as the Porsche 911.  Between a box-stock 911 Carrera and the range-topping 911 GT3 RS, there are no less than 18 different models and trims listed on Porsche's website. Factor in Porsche's Exclusive Manufaktur service and assembly gets infinitely more complex.

And yet, every single 911—including race cars for the various Carrera Cups—ultimately exits the same assembly line in Zuffenhausen. Reaching the end, however, is a very different process for some models. Porsche recently explained the process, focusing on special editions like the 911 Dakar and S/T.

Everything starts the same, namely a body-in-white that gets assembled by approximately 300 robots. All 911s head to the main line for further assembly, but trims thick with carbon fiber are eventually transferred to special assembly carriages where the lightweight bits are installed and adjusted by hand for proper fit. Once done, the 911 heads back to the standard assembly line.

Custom interior work also leads to a special stop. Porsche has its own saddlery at Zuffenhausen, where experts cut and stitch a variety of materials. The company puts its interior team through a specific training course to prepare them for the wide-ranging demands that come with both special-edition models and anything requested through the Exclusive Manufaktur service. With upwards of 1,000 various options available, it's not exactly a cookie-cutter operation. And all those custom touches are ultimately installed by hand.

That also applies to special paint options. Vehicles with two-tone treatment like the 911 Dakar come off the main line once again for the custom shade. There are no robots or other quick processes involved here, just two specialists in a paint booth applying the second color by hand.

According to Porsche, the paint application alone typically takes at least seven hours to complete. If things like custom numbers or striping are involved, it's even longer. The entire two-tone process from start to finish can last 30 hours, though eventually, even these cars return to the main line for final assembly. 

“In the production process of the 911 models, the Zuffenhausen plant combines the strengths of automated production with the advantages of an automobile Manufaktur in a unique way,” said Jens Brucker, vice president of the Zuffenhausen factory. “The limited-edition 911 models are a really special opportunity to showcase our automotive craftsmanship. The different Manufaktur stages in the plant mean that we can make the exclusive 911 models truly unique.”