Corker: VW SUV Production Announcement To Come Sooner Than Later

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Though no word yet has come down from Volkswagen on where the confirmed seven-passenger SUV for the U.S. market will be assembled, U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee says that decision would come “in the very near future.”

Detroit Free Press reports the senator couldn’t put a time frame on when VW would deliver its announcement, but did believe the automaker’s plans were “moving in the right direction,” despite Tennessee governor Bill Haslam stating no meetings were set up between his administration and VW since the end of the tumultuous fight over the Chattanooga plant between the United Auto Workers and anti-union opposition earlier in the year.

In response, Corker proclaimed:

I think if you had that conversation with the governor today he’d give you a different response. Again, the election was just certified within the last few weeks and you know things are moving in the direction that we thought they would.

He further stated that while the plant may not be the clear winner it once may have been, he had no indication that anything else has changed.

The Haslam administration offered a $300 million subsidy to VW if it chose to build its CrossBlue Concept-based full-size SUV in Tennessee, only to withdraw the offer in January 2014 ahead of the contentious organization election at the Chattanooga facility.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • Gtrslngr Gtrslngr on May 14, 2014

    ..... but sometimes despite all the political wrangling along with VW-Audis notorious habit of NOT listening their current as well potential customers ... Ones sole wish for a future VW-Audi product can come true ! Behold ... the next generation Microbus ; http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140514/CARNEWS/140519934 What an even longer Strange Trip it still might be ! " Truckin... got my chips cashed in .... " Sorry Marcelo de V ! Sometimes us old guys really do rule ! ( LoL) Ciao !

    • 3800FAN 3800FAN on May 14, 2014

      You can get one of those now,,, it's called the mazda 5 and you don't have to pose like a dumbass hippy when you drive. It'll also be far more reliable and get better mpg than a vw pos. VWs problem is they're a bi-polar company that hates change and can never figure out what they're really good at because they want it all.

  • Beerboy12 Beerboy12 on May 14, 2014

    I feel like this is VW's decision somehow.

    • Musiccitymafia Musiccitymafia on May 16, 2014

      Yeah man, smart management doesn't pick sides but instead plays to win given all the possible outcomes. Keep straddling the fence until the chips fall where they fall.

  • Robbie Robbie on May 14, 2014

    VW should first try get the Jetta, Passat, Golf, and GTI right for the US market. Those cars are where their expertise is at, and the current models are not really working too well for the US market. Instead they are blurring their focus with this SUV.

  • Honda_lawn_art Honda_lawn_art on May 15, 2014

    I didn't know Glenn Beck and Joe Liebermann had a band?

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