Chattanooga Passat

The first Chattanooga-produced Volkswagen Passat rolled off the assembly line, the TFP reports.

VW Chattanooga

Volkswagen needs more trainees for its high-tech apprenticeships, the TFP reports.

All VW All the Time

Volkswagen will draw news coverage, daily it seems. First, there's the TFP's report on that VW building is definitely ontrack. And, there's word of new academic research fellowships being set-up with VW backing at Oak Ridge National Labs. Say the release, "Examples of research projects interns would be assigned to include low-cost carbon fiber, battery storage, biofuels, engines and emissions, intelligent transportation systems, and sustainable manufacturing."

Noog's new VW is Passat

The Chattanooga-manufactured Volkswagen will be a Passat, the Times Free Press reports.

KPMG: VW future leader

Volkswagen's investments, 10-brand synergies and strategy have prepared the company to be one of the world's top two auto companies in the next few years, says a report from KPMG, reported by the TFP. China is the other top-gainer.

ORNL tech gets WSJ attention

Oak Ridge National Laboratory carbon-fiber technology's contributions to new lighter-weight autos got The Wall Street Journal's attention. Here's our earlier post on out-going Gov. Phil Bredesen's recent visit with the scientists behind it all.

Alexander hails VW auto 'hub'

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) toured the emerging Volkswagen facility in Hamilton County and declared Chattanooga the heart of America's new auto industry. The TFP has it.

MAU chases VW staffing business

Augusta, Ga.-based MAU Inc. is opening a Chattanooga office, in hope of replicating the success it's had with BMW in South Carolina, by providing staffing services for VW in Chattanooga. The TFP has it.

Logistics groups team for auto sector

Chattanoogan.com reports, Chattanooga-based "Kenco Logistic Services LLC (KLS), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kal-Serv, announced that together with Schnellecke of America, LLC, it has formed Team 3 Logistics LLC. This new joint venture will offer logistic solutions to support automotive production in the Southeastern United States."

VW-TN worker ranks pass 2K

More than 2,000 workers are now employed by Volkswagen in the Chattanooga area. The TFP reports.

Volkswagen update

SL America, based in Clinton, Tenn., won a Volkswagen contract to deliver automatic shift assembles for VW's new midsize sedan, production of which will begin in 2011. Chattanoogan.com has it. Also, the TFP reports that spending of State incentives for training, etc., for Volkswagen is on-track, with not a dollar in excess.

DOE now a VC

The Wall Street Journal reports how the Department of Energy's grants have rekindled progress at a hybrid automobile startup, as part of Stimulus investment push that may have distorted the VC landscape.

VW prototyping on-sked

Volkswagen's testing of prototypes for the new midsize sedan (NMS) it will build in Chattanooga is on schedule. An advanced prototype will be built in Chattanooga in 2010, with production greenlighted in 2011. The TFP reports.

Mercedes C-class to Alabama

Birmingham Business Journal reports that Mercedes is adding 1,000 jobs in its Vance, Ala., plant to produce its C-class sedan.

Chattanooga ECD tops in Auto

Expansion Solutions magazine says the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce is one of the nation's five best economic-development organizations in the Automotive category. Chattanoogan.com reports. Other agencies among top 5 for Auto are in Miss., Ala, La. and NC. Other categories recognized include Biotech, High Tech, Logistics and others.

Autos boom in mid-South

Automobile manufacturing is growing a bigger footprint in Tennessee and the surrounding region. The TFP reports on the emerging corridor.

VW: 10 suppliers in subpark

Volkswagen wants perhaps ten of its suppliers parked right next door to its new Enterprise Park plant in Chattanooga, and will lease the suppliers about 400K sq. ft. of space. The TFP reports.

VW design, jobs at Chattanooga

Volkswagen today released a sketch of the new sedan it'll make at Chattanooga, and said more than 12,000 have applied for jobs there, online. Chattanoogan.com.

e-Car grid in TN

The Tennessean reports (Oct. 11) on the challenges ahead for recharging e-cars in Tennessee.

More on Perry engine development

Nashville Business Journal (sub) today on page 4 reports on MTSU Prof. Charles Perry's hybrid plug-in electric motor, which is vying for grants in an increasingly crowded field. Earlier related VNC story here.