VW CrossBlue shown in a publicity photo from the 2103 North American International Auto ShowVolkswagen is expected to decide in the fourth quarter if Chattanooga will land a new sport utility vehicle, the plant's chief said today at a automotive conference in Michigan, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"We are in the process but we expect a decision by the end of the year," said Frank Fischer, who oversees VW's operations in Chattanooga.
Chattanooga is vying with a VW plant in Mexico to assemble the seven-seat SUV.
The Chattanooga factory now employs about 2,700 people. Typically, between 500 and 1,000 jobs would be created when another vehicle is added to a plant, according to the Journal.
The CrossBlue, a three-row SUV aimed for the U.S. market, was introduced in January at the North American International Auto Show. If VW decides to make the new vehicle, production could actually start in 2015, according to reports.