VW boss says Audi must make cars in U.S. to meet sales goal

In 2007 Audi set itself a very lofty goal of more than doubling its U.S. sales to 200,000 units by 2015. Without a significant turnaround in the economy, that goal appears increasingly unlikely to be be met, but everyone needs a dream right? With that dream in mind, VW CEO Martin Winterkorn told a gathering of officials from Tennessee recently that the four-ringed brand must build cars in the U.S. Winterkorn said a mid-sized car targeted specifically at the U.S. market would be the product, but a location and timing are still undetermined. The Volkswagen factory that is being built in Chatanooga, TN is one obvious option. VW will start production there in 2011 with a capacity of 150,000 cars a year, but the plant is being designed with expansion in mind. The possibility of building an additional 100,000 cars there does exist. Winterkorn told the guests that no decisions have been made yet but something would happen in 2009. [Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]