VW discusses New Midsize Sedan to be built in Chattanooga
Volkswagen has so far been pretty sketchy about what will be built at its new Chattanooga plant. About all they've said is that it will be a brand new mid-size sedan model specifically for the U.S. market.Chattanooga's NBC affiliate, WRCB, attended a VW reception last week in Berlin where they discovered a few more details about the car. A very few. First, the car is referred to by VW insiders as the NMS, an acronym for the uncreative name, "New Midsize Sedan." VW plans for the car to offer a TDI diesel as well as double clutch transmissions. Which all sounds very Jetta-like.
Also revealed in the WRCB video is that the NMS will have a "large trunk" and "spacious legroom." Thank goodness. We really can't stand sedans with tiny trunks and less legroom than economy on a domestic flight. And, despite WRCB's Web site proclaiming that the video gives "a sneak peek of what the Chattanooga car will look like," the generic outline you see at right is the closest you'll get.
Unfortunately, there was no mention during the speech of any Microbus plans for Chattanooga. So, for now, Brooke Shields will have to keep pushing re-branded Chryslers.
[Source: WRCB via The German Car Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
HC 7:33PM (10/31/2008)
Just give us a rebranded reskinned Skoda Superb.
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montoym 1:17AM (11/04/2008)
Why? A Superb is just a Passat that's slightly stretched.
So, they'd be rebranding and reskinning a rebranded and reskinned car?? Back to the original no less??
Smegley 8:52PM (10/31/2008)
The delay in any announcements is because VW management has hit an obstacle they can not figure out. Seems they are trying to design a vehicle that will incur its first major mechanical breakdown at 6000 miles instead of 3500 miles, which is the VW norm. They called in their best engineers from Germany to work this major leap forward, but all they had to say is "das ist überhaupt nicht möglich für ein deutsches Auto."
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vdk 11:43PM (10/31/2008)
VWs have improved their reliability in the last few years. Get over it!
Criteria to be met:
number of cupholders.. *sigh*
larry a 5:01AM (11/01/2008)
Really? I think they make some of the biggest POS ever. I see a tremendous amount of effort in all their models but they just dont get the picture. I trust Hyundais reliability over a VW/Audi.
knightuc1992 8:07AM (11/01/2008)
larry a:
"Really? I think they make some of the biggest POS ever"
Really? You mean like one's that I've owned:
1975 Mk1 Scirocco - 250,000 miles
1987 Mk2 Golf GT - 624,000 miles
1997 Mk3 Jetta (Still driving at 270,000 miles)
2003 Mk4 Wolfsburg Jetta 1.8T (Still driving at 125,000 miles)
And I've just added a non-VW - 1987 Chevy pickup with 82,000 miles.
And I do most of the maintenance on said vehicles myself.
Now either you've never owned a VW - or you are a sorry, whiny, incompetant excuse for a car owner who has no business being behind the wheel. Methinks a Honda, Toyota or Hyundai in your hands will be lucky to last 50,000 miles.
You are probably the type who will whine, complain, and cry if as much as a cupholder breaks.....
Man up, dude. The world has no sympathy for whiny piss-ants...
Atomicbri 1:18PM (11/01/2008)
You can tell those who have really owned a VW and those who have not. I have an '07 Rabbit and 30K miles on it and not one unscheduled visit to dealer. I had a 1997 GTi and never one unscheduled visit to the dealer. I had a 1993 Golf and had 2 issues with it back in the day, a immobilizer that did not turn off (leaving the car, well, immobilized.) and something to do with the air flow system causing some oil to get into it. THAT'S BEEN IT!!! So where are all these other 3500 mile breakdown people at? It kills me how ignorant some people are.
akboss302 5:23PM (11/01/2008)
There's two sides to the fence - as a (previous) VW OWNER, I can verify that they can indeed be problematic. But its the annoying everyday problems with the electrical systems and minor operating 'quirks' that most VW owners call 'character' - people that buy Hondas and Toyotas prefer not to have those 'quirks', but are missing the driving experience that makes VW owners come back. Indeed having your rear windows drop into the doors in mid-winter, having the door chime run for 30 minutes, stereo stops working on the right side after it rains, getting locked inside your car because the power door locks close and refuse to unlock, and having just about every latch and buckle on the seat adjustments break is a nuissance. But that '97 Jetta started every day and got me where I needed to go...if I could unlock the doors that is.
Rocketboy 1:07AM (11/01/2008)
Pardon me boy, but is this the Chattaooga made Mid-sized sedan?
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akboss302 5:31PM (11/01/2008)
...you know, they have working examples of Ford Model T's too. Its like the Concorde - it was a mechanical masterpiece, but it was in the shop for a whole lot longer than it was in the air. Luckily, VW's aren't supersonic and don't cost $350M - although the Veyron is getting close.
lars 9:38AM (11/01/2008)
Obviously you have never owned a VW. Durabilitywise it's about on par with mercedes. I am driving an old VW Vento, it's driven over 130,000 miles and I am sure it will go double that. I know people who had VW drive over 400,000 miles and then bought a new car, not because the VW died, but because they just wanted a new car. Hell I know a few who owns air-cooled VWs from the 60's that still go beautifully.
Also it's fairly cheap to maintain and if you got skillz you can do most maintenance yourself.
Mark 10:37AM (11/01/2008)
as the owner of 3 VWs, I can testify to VW poor longevity vs Toyota and Honda. I am sorry to say it because I do like my cars. I have a 1995 Passat VR6, 2001 Passat 30V V6 and a 2003 TDI 5 speed.
The TDI has been the best performer for maintenance with no big issues to 135k miles but the others have had significant problems.
I have 215k miles on the 95 Passat but I have cracked open almost literally every component of the car to keep it going. One positive note - original driveshafts - yeah!
My next car will be a Honda or Toyota... sorry VW but you have let me down too many times. Happy to have you in the US and good luck!
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fixitfixitstop 10:52AM (11/01/2008)
Why only Honda or Toyota?
Mark 11:38AM (11/01/2008)
fixitfixitstop,
why only Honda or Toyota? because I will not have to look any further. I would prefer a family sedan or wagon that also serves as a commuter. I like driving a manual which is why I have the TDI..
For the next car I can choose the new Prius, an older Prius, a hybrid Civic or a 5-speed Civic or the new Insight. I will not 'love' these cars as much as I have the VWs but I will not have to work on them every weekend either.
I do all my own work on the VWs except for mounting tires, AC service and suspension alignments.
I have a coworker who bought a new Camry in 1996, close to when I bought my used 95 Passat. He hardly knows his car even with 230k miles because has has not had any problems. in the meanwhile I have trained myself to be an auto technician in order to keep the Passat going. like the difference between black and white.
Atomicbri 1:24PM (11/01/2008)
Careful though Mark, New Camrys are not built well now at all. Stick with the late 90's early '00s models. The new Camry a friend of mine's mother owns has been a real POS. Auto tranny croaked at 7500 miles!!! Paint is fading on the trunk at 11,000 miles and she has numerous squeaks and rattles.
Seems with VW's that it is Passats that has had issues. I have always owned Golf vehicles (be it in GTi or Rabbit form now) and never any problems at all. If you really hate VWs go for the Honda... the Toyotas have dropped in quality the past few years.
casey 10:55AM (11/01/2008)
just like the new minivan, this 'new' midsize sedan for the USA will probably be a rebranded chrysler. the Sebring Plus?
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Nobody Special 11:29AM (11/01/2008)
Gosh ol' golly gee whiz. I'm afraid, like all my friends that have had VW's, that I have to agree with high MPG, low maintenance, and high longevity into the the 200K miles per car (at least).
The biggest issue I've ever had with dub's, had been the nagging instrument light issue of years ago. The BIGGEST issue that VW has is finding qualified service departments/service people when a problem arises. I do know of people that have been totally ripped and pissed off by crappy and unnecessary service.
My biggest thing about VW is how they have totally screwed up their market share by having a minimal product selection in the states. Mexico gets nearly everything they have in Europe - and please, I don't want to hear the high tariff argument when VW had the first foreign factory stateside and couldn't figure out how to pull it off (thank you Lower Saxony Board members) and now, they want to over-take Toyota. Woopee! I don't really care for the boring Toyota driving ideal and excuse me VW, but if your idea of the 'NMS' is the start of your quest - here's a hint - VW owners will not tolerate, and don't want a Toyota wanna-be car.
Please, Porsche, finish your take-over and get the upper management, Pieche, and Lower Saxony out of the decision tree and give us a fookin' VW. Oh, and as for the Routan at least use a VW motor/drivetrain, and make the Tiguan LONGER - not bigger like a Highlander.
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mk3 11:45AM (11/01/2008)
Yes, I have been ripped off and pissed off by crappy and unecessary service at the hands of VW dealers.
I wonder if VW could possibly turn this problem around by having the assembly plant local to the US. Maybe more knowledge will spread to the dealers and other mechanics.
dr61 12:58PM (11/01/2008)
PLEASE add a station wagon TDI, and add an AWD option. I will not buy a sedan.
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Torrent 2:36AM (11/02/2008)
or you can just wait for a jetta sportwagen tdi with awd.... it might come one day.