From left to right: Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Volkswagen Chattanooga CEO and President Christian Koch, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger

From left to right: Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Volkswagen Chattanooga CEO and President Christian Koch, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger

Volkswagen has begun expanding its Chattanooga, Tenn., manufacturing plant as it prepares to begin building a new mid-size SUV for the U.S. market.

Construction began in January at the plant to add 512,886 square feet of space. The assembly, body and paint shops will each undergo a major expansion to accommodate the new SUV model.

Construction on the plant will continue for the next two years.

Volkswagen is producing a mid-SUV based on the CrossBlue Concept that would begin production toward the end of 2016. The seven-passenger vehicle is being built at the same plant that produces the Passat.

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