Car factory tours around the world
Are you a car enthusiast or someone who likes to know how things are made? If you fit either of these categories or want to do something a little different on your next holiday, you should add a car factory tour to your to-do list.
JAPAN
Mazda Factory and Museum
Hiroshima
A short train trip from Hiroshima’s city centre, the Mazda factory is so big it has its own port and accommodation for workers and their families.
You’ll tour a section of the factory and the Mazda museum, home to many of the vehicles the Japanese car manufacturer has produced. This includes Mazda’s first car, the 1960 R360 Coupe, and the Mazda 787B which was the first Japanese car to finish first overall at the 59th Le Mans 24-hour race.
Toyota Kaikan Museum
Nagoya
Toyota City, just outside Nagoya, is home to Japan’s biggest and most well-known car manufacturers. Unfortunately, Toyota factory tours are currently suspended due to Covid. However, the Toyota Kaikan Museum has a range of exhibits about the history of Toyota and its manufacturing process. You’ll also see the latest Toyota and Lexus cars on display. Can’t make it to Toyota City? You can take a virtual tour of Toyota’s production line.
Nissan Plant Tour and Museum
Yokohama
Go to Nissan’s headquarters in Yokohama and take a tour of the car maker’s plant before exploring the museum. Learn about the history of Nissan, see how their engines are built, and see engines from the past in their museum.
GERMANY
BMW Welt
Munich
Explore more than 100 years of BMW history in this extensive museum in Munich. About 125 of BMW’s most valuable and attractive cars, motorcycles and engines are on display, along with a glimpse into the future of German car manufacturing. Visitors can also see classic BMW cars on display and tour the BMW Munich factory.
Porsche Museum
Stuttgart
Enter this museum – a unique architectural work of art – and immerse yourself in everything Porsche. Delve into Porsche’s history and learn about the production lines for building the 911, 718 or Taycan. As you enter the museum, you may notice the Inspiration 911 sculpture. Three Porsche are suspended 24m in the air on pillars, representing the history of the sports car icon.
Volkswagen factory and Autostadt visitor complex
Wolfsburg
Spread across more than 6.5 million sqm, Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters has been manufacturing vehicles since the 1930s. Visitors can see the production line where Golfs, Tourans and Tiguans are being built and visit the Autostadt visitor complex. Here, you’ll find a museum documenting Volkswagen’s history,an off-road course and even a hotel.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Shelby Heritage Center
Las Vegas
The Shelby Heritage Center houses more than 25 Shelby vehicles and hundreds of photos from the car manufacturer’s archives. The museum also tells the story of Carroll Shelby who founded the company in 1962. Adjacent to the Heritage Center sits Shelby’s 14,000 sqm production facility. Book a tour and see the factory in action and learn more about the company.
UNITED KINGDOM
MINI
Oxford
At MINI’s Plant Oxford, you can witness a mini coming off the production line every 67 seconds. Take a guided tour of one of the UK’s largest and oldest production plants and see the iconic MINI being built.
ITALY
Lamborghini factory tour
Bologna
Tour the factory where the Lamborghini, arguably the world’s most luxurious super sports car, is built. Your journey will start at the V12 line where the engine and chassis come together for the Aventador model before seeing the V10 line where the Huracan range is built. Then you can witness the upholstery being handcrafted for the interior. Following the factory tour, visit the museum and learn about Lamborghini’s fascinating history and what it has in store for the future.