It was the spring of 2011, almost 15 years ago, when the first Chattanooga-produced VW Passat was unveiled here.
The car was a night blue metallic four-door sedan, a quintessential family car. The Passat was eventually supplanted by SUVs such as the VW Atlas — also produced here — and the introduction of electronic vehicles such as the ID.4.
The accompanying photo is a Chattanooga Times Free Press archive image from 2011 showing Frank Fischer, then-CEO of VW’s Chattanooga operation, showing off the first Passat off the line.
In 2012, Volkswagen sold more than 77,000 Passats in the U.S. At that time, it was the best year ever for the model.