Volkswagen Chattanooga Commemorates 700,000Th Passat Build With Limited Edition GT Model

May 8, 2018 by Volkswagen

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (8 May 2018) — Volkswagen Chattanooga today announced that it has achieved a production milestone with the completion of the 700,000th Volkswagen Passat assembled in Chattanooga.

Assembled in the LEED Platinum-certified production facility in Chattanooga Tennessee, the 700,000th Passat is a 2018 Passat GT, finished in Reflex Silver, with two-tone black and grey interior. The limited-edition model uses the 3.6-liter VR6® engine and a 6-speed DSG Tiptronic® dual-clutch automatic transmission.

'The history of Volkswagen Chattanooga is intertwined with the history of the U.S. Passat. As we grow and add models, we take pride in continuing to produce quality Passats in the state of Tennessee,' said Antonio Pinto, President and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga. 'I am very proud of our team for reaching this important milestone and look forward to more to come.'

The 2018 Passat GT was designed by the company's North American engineering hub in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and its Design Center in California based on extensive feedback from U.S. customers and dealers.

'The Passat GT is an example of how the Volkswagen North American Region is incorporating a local perspective into our global engineering expertise,' said Dr. Matthias Erb, Chief Engineering Officer, and Head of Product Strategy, Volkswagen North American Region. 'The collaboration between U.S. engineers and designers allows us to create vehicles that meet the needs and desires of customers here.'

The Passat GT is a true sport sedan. With 280 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, it offers power and luxury-class driving comfort with surprising fuel economy—EPA estimated fuel economy is 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Unique features include a black roof, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, a honeycomb grille, GTI-like red accents, and a sport suspension that lowers the car's stance.

In addition to the Passat, Volkswagen Chattanooga currently assembles the Volkswagen Atlas, a seven-passenger, midsize SUV designed for the American market. In March, Volkswagen also announced that Volkswagen Chattanooga will be the production home of the all-new five-seater SUV, a variant of the seven-passenger Atlas, built on the same award-winning MQB platform.

The 700,000th Volkswagen Passat will be commemorated on Volkswagen Chattanooga's social media pages, as the assembly of the car was followed from the body shop, to paint shop and to its final stop at the assembly shop.

About Volkswagen Chattanooga

The Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations, LLC (Volkswagen Chattanooga) manufacturing facility began production in April 2011. Volkswagen Chattanooga currently builds the Volkswagen Passat, a midsize sedan specifically designed for the North American market and winner of the 2012 Motor Trend Magazine Car of the Year award, and the Volkswagen Atlas, a midsize sport utility which went on sale in May of 2017. In March 2018, Volkswagen Chattanooga was announced as the future production home of a five-seat SUV, representing an additional $340 million investment. Volkswagen Chattanooga currently employs 3500 team members. Volkswagen Chattanooga is the first car factory worldwide with a LEED Platinum certification. It is also certified to international standards for energy management (ISO 50001), environmental management (ISO 14001) and quality management (ISO 9001).

Photo credit: Volkswagen
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