Dozens of new Passats made at the Chattanooga Volkswagen assembly plant are seen parked outside the plant recently. Staff photo by John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free Press

Volkswagen workers are checking hundreds of newly made Passats parked outside its Chattanooga plant for hail damage due to last week's severe storms.

"We're examining every car," said Guenther Scherelis, general manager of communication for the plant, about the vehicles parked in the plant's massive loading yard awaiting shipment to dealers.

He said it is too early to say if there was any damage to the autos, which include both test vehicles and new customer cars.

The massive yard is where the cars are temporarily parked before they are shipped by rail or truck. The German automaker announced just last month it had started making customers cars.

For more coverage, see Tuesday's Times Free Press