According to the German magazine Automobilwoche, Audi might built A4 sedan and the midsized Q5 SUV here in USA. Audi planners say a volume of 50,000 to 80,000 vehicles is necessary to justify U.S. production. "The example of BMW shows that a local factory helps a company capture the market," said Juergen Pieper, an analyst with Bankhaus Metzler.

Production would take place at Volkswagen's planned new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that will have capacity to build up to 200,000 units a year. In studying the case for the U.S. plant, Volkswagen had originally considered building the VW Touareg, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne SUVs there. They are all on the same platform. But Porsche has rejected U.S. production. "There is absolutely no consideration being given to the production of vehicles in the U.S.," a Porsche source said. "There is no supplier base with appropriate capabilities for Porsche."

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