Originally unveiled by VW at last year’s Detroit Auto Show, the Volkswagen CrossBlue Concept will now be translated into a production car by the end of 2016 adding a much needed missing piece to VW’s lineup in the US. Most important, however, is that the VW SUV will be built alongside the Passat in Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. VW will invest around $900 million to equip the plant for the midsize SUV’s production, which includes hiring 2,000 additional employees and expanding the factory’s floor space by nearly 540,000 square feet.
The CrossBlue Concept unveiled in Detroit used a diesel/plug-in hybrid powertrain good for a total of 302 horsepower and 517 lb-ft of torque, all of which was managed through a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox. There was no official word on what engines will be available on this new car. There’s also not much on the SUV’s interior configuration, but it will likely be available with 3 rows to accommodate 7 passengers.
VW CEO Dr. Martin Winterkorn commented, “This vehicle will be a real American – large, attractive and with many high-tech features on board. Above all, the midsize SUV will be made by real Americans. From 2016, this vehicle will roll off production line at the Chattanooga plant – as second core model in addition to the Passat.”
Volkswagen is fully committed to the success of their midsize SUV in the US with plans to add a cutting-edge Research and Development Center to the Chattanooga plant as part of the production preparation. Additionally, 200 top automotive engineers will be hired at the innovation center to allow for on-site product research and experimentation. VW’s stake in both the Chattanooga plant and in the US market will increase drastically and will likely inrease the company’s US presence significantly in the coming years.
Please enjoy this TFLcar.com video of the CrossBlue Concept’s debut.
Frank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, he was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise is in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.
