Auto News 5

Volkswagen's new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is still tooling up to build its first product, the new Passat, but plans are already being laid for a major expansion. Although nobody will confirm it at this stage, reliable sources tell us that the Germans are almost ready to sign off on a second phase that would increase the plant's output by 180,000 to 200,000 units a year. The plan is to let three brands participate in the new venture: Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche. Chattanooga 1 is geared to paint and assemble passenger cars, but Chattanooga 2 will almost certainly be adapted for high-roof vehicles. A second paint shop is thus a necessity.