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According to Audi of America’s President Johan de Nysschen, for the German automaker to build vehicles in North America it would need higher volume and a local supplier network. de Nysschen said that Audi could buy an existing plant, build a new one or even use Volkswagen’s Tennessee plant due to open in 2011

“Our Volkswagen colleagues are building a plant in Chattanooga because the economies of scale make sense for them,” he told Automotive News. “It is by no means obligatory for us to go there.”

However, de Nysschen said that Audi needs to get closer to its announced goal of 200,000 in annual U.S. sales by 2018 before it needs North American production. Audi sold 87,760 units in U.S. in 2008. 

Audi would need a network of local suppliers ”because it makes no sense to import parts just to assemble them here,” de Nysschen said.

- By: The Daily Auto Editor

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