# Audi, Porsche, VW Crossovers Could Be Built in Chattanooga Says Kacher, Including Audi Q6



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Audi AG CEO Rupert Stadler raised a few eyebrows at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January when he confirmed that Audi was still very much considering a North American production point. Just how this manifests itself remains to be seen, but Automobile's Georg Kacher thinks he may have an idea... at least in part.

According to Kacher, who's usually privy to board-level decisions being made, the Volkswagen Group is considering an expansion to its new facility in CHattanooga and one intended to build so-called "high roof" vehicles such as crossovers.

The primary product, according to Kacher is a mid-sized Volkswagen crossover that could be based on the group's transverse architecture (MQB), but also may go the way of Audi and Porsche SUVs with longitudinal engine placement.

Word via Kacher is that Volkswagen Group bosses want to see more shared use out of the facility. The upcoming Porsche Cajun (very close to Audi Q5 in architecture) might be a possibility for Chattanooga 2... and so too could an all-new Audi Q6 fitted between the Q5 and the Q7. Think an Audi version of the Cayenne or current Touareg in size and you're probably not far off.

<b>So What Do We Think?</b>
This is the first we've heard of Q6 but the size is compelling. We just spent a week in a new Touareg and in many ways it offers that extra bit of space over the Q5 without making the full jump to a 7-passenger vehicle.

If VW goes transverse then the Q3 could be built in Chattanooga but it's already headed toward production in Martorell, Spain so likely any North American built Q3 would wait until its second generation.

Our guess is that there'll be a longitudinal MLB line and that the VW B-sized crossover will join the Cajun and the Q6 on the line. Q7 is also migrating to MLB as are Touareg and Cayenne so the Group could bring production of all SUVs here with **relative** ease should they wish to.

The image above is a photoshop made by Larson prior to the Q5 launch. An Audi enthusiast, Larson gave us permission to place his photo on this website. And while it may have originally been to render the Q5, it's not a bad take on what a Q6 might look like as well.

Read the full story over at Automobile after the jump.

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