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Talk about déjà vu -- this is almost an exact clone of the A6 3.0T we sampled two years ago. Same black paint; same sumptuous cocoa-on-graphite leather interior; same superb supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 underhood.

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.

Although we have just seen the first photos of the face-lifted Tiguan (seen in photos here), VW is already working on the replacement, due in early 2015. Based on the same new architecture that will underpin the next-generation Golf (the "MQB" components set), the new Tiguan promises to become lighter, stiffer, safer, more economical, and more fun to drive.