Future SUV production to create new jobs in U.S.

Never to be outdone in the automotive circuit, Volkswagen recently announced plans to cater to a specific market of North American families with the introduction of a midsize SUV concept called the CrossBlue. In addition to presenting another buying choice in the ever-popular SUV and light truck market, Volkswagen says it will also will be helping to increase the number of jobs at its plant in Tennessee which has been awarded production of the new SUV.

The Volkswagen Group will be investing a total of approximately $900 million in the production of the seven-passenger SUV, creating 2,000 additional jobs in the Chattanooga, TN, plant as a result. Production should begin by late 2016, and the CrossBlue will target buyers of the Chevy Traverse, Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander, among others.

Plans to develop a new SUV and base production in the United States have been in the works for several years, and in July 2014, Volkswagen finally announced plans to forge ahead.

“The U.S. is and will remain one of the most important markets for Volkswagen,” said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, in Wolfsburg. “Over the past few years, we have achieved a lot there. With the midsize SUV, the expansion of the Chattanooga plant and the new development center, the focus is on the wishes of the U.S. customer.”

The car manufacturer previously unveiled the CrossBlue concept in a coupe version at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show and the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. The CrossBlue Coupe has a plug-in hybrid powertrain. A turbocharged directinjection (TDI) V6 gasoline engine works together with two electric motors to produce as much as 415 horsepower. This SUV can thus perform like a sports car, with a 0 to 60 mph time of just 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 147 mph. In addition, the vehicle can be driven as a zero emissions EV for up to 13 miles at a maximum speed of 75 mph. Drivers simply push a button to use this eco-friendly mode in urban areas.

Volkswagen has not confirmed if the SUV that will begin production in a few years will be modeled entirely on the CrossBlue Coupe, but there should be similarities.