Top Volkswagen officials will visit the Chattanooga assembly plant this week as they check out the new Atlas sport utility vehicle and plan what’s ahead.
Dr. Herbert Diess, who heads the automaker’s VW brand worldwide, and Hinrich Woebcken, who oversees the company’s North American region, will meet with Antonio Pinto, the Chattanooga operation’s new CEO.
Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Autotrader, said the German company has spent a lot of money at the Enterprise South industrial park plant and officials say they’re recommitted to the U.S. market.
“Under this political situation, they need to make sure the plant is producing compelling vehicles,” she said. President Donald Trump has talked up the idea of companies putting manufacturing production in U.S. factories.
Krebs said the seven-seat Atlas is “very promising” and a redesigned Tiguan SUV, which is made in Puebla, Mexico, sits in the No. 1 selling compact SUV market.