Audi's North American Factory Could Be Decided On April 18th
With a meeting for Volkswagen’s supervisory board looming on Wednesday, a decision regarding Audi’s newest North American factory will likely be made. Two choices are available, but the key word seems to be North America.
As previously reported, Audi is looking to build a plant in Mexico. Reports say that Volkswagen’s Chattanooga factory was being touted by VW as an ideal solution. But resistance from within Audi led to the Mexico proposal, for a distinct factory that would start off with production of the Q5 in 2015.
No choice has been decided upon, but the scuttlebutt seems to be that Mexico will win out. Chattanooga’s factory is well regarding by VW’s top execs, but Audi likes to do things Audi’s way, and it looks like they’ll succeed yet again.
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Ontario could do with a shot in the arm, but unfortunately that won't happen with the strong Canadian dollar. Anyway, the whole point of VW's Chattanooga exercise was to demonstrate a commitment to the U.S., to no? With Audi's higher profit margins, it should be a no-brainer to either go to Chattanooga or find another location in the U.S.
VAG evidently did not perform a market study before committing a billion dollars to a new plant in Mexico, nor have Honda, Mazda and Toyota. You should all alert VAG about your concerns. I'm sure they'll appreciate your knowledgeable input.
Other than bananas, I wouldn't buy anything from a third world country.
My only experience with Puebla VW's was a 1998 GTI-VR6, which I bought new after graduating from school and getting my first real job. It was an interesting, yet tragic, car in that the german-made powertrain was absolutely bulletproof, while the entire remainder of the vehicle was total crap. Although it isn't fair to make generalizations based on a single vehicle experience, if Audi starts making cars there I can't help but expect they'll be just like my old GTI.