(September 28, 2010) HERNDON, Va. — Volkswagen of America met with its 582 U.S. and 130 Canadian dealers in Atlanta last week and following the meeting they drove more than 700 all-new 2011 Volkswagen Jettas to the company’s brand-new under-construction assembly facility in Chattanooga, Tenn..

“We have a clear vision: to take the Volkswagen Group to the top of the auto industry by 2018 in terms of sales and profit; but also when it comes to the best team, best quality and best customer satisfaction” said Dr. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the Board of Management at Volkswgen. “Size is not the essence for us, and size is not an end in itself, our focus is on quality growth.”

As part of the meeting, dealers viewed some of the company’s most exciting new vehicles.

Artist rendention of
Chattanooga plant.

Included were the Golf Blue e-Motion, which is completely new and designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle. The Golf Blue e-Motion will have a range of 100 miles and is expected to be in market by 2013.

“Volkswagen dealers are the lynch-pin for our strategy to grow the business here in America,” said Jonathan Browning, president, Volkswagen of America, Inc. 

“I’m eager to show our dealer family the plant we are building here in Chattanooga,” said Frank Fischer, chairman and CEO of Volkwagen’s Chattanooga Operations. “Our factory design is innovative, our plant is environmentally friendly and our workforce is producing a high-quality car that is designed with the North American driver in mind. I am sure their visit to the plant will convince dealers that the plant is here and the NMS is real,” Fischer said.