There is a new man in the front office of Volkswagen->ke94 of America and his name is Jonathon Browning. The company officially announced the arrival of their new CEO at 11:00 AM this morning. He will take over on October 1st of this year.

Browning comes into his new job with a well-stocked portfolio. He was recently the manager of the national sales team of all the Volkswagen brands, including Audi->ke14 and Lamborghini->ke44. Browning has also worked at General Motors->ke1024 and at Ford->ke31. He will try to push the company forward in the U.S as VW tries to become the world’s largest automaker by 2018.

The automaker recently dumped a boatload of cash into the Chattanooga plant, $1 billion in fact. There will also be a new marketing campaign for the new Jetta->ke306 on your TV screens very shortly. Congratulations Mr. Browning.

Hit the jump to see the press release.

Press Release

Volkswagen Group of America announced today that Jonathan Browning, 51, has been named President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America effective October 1, 2010. He is currently responsible for the global directing of the Volkswagen Group's National Sales Companies (NSC).

"Volkswagen will play an even stronger role in the important U.S. market going forward, said Christian Klingler, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG for Sales. "Jonathan Browning is an acknowledged expert on this market, its customers and its sales structures."

Jonathan Browning succeeds Stefan Jacoby, who has left the company. Browning has held numerous executive sales and marketing posts worldwide at General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor Company. He was vice president of European sales, service and marketing at the GM Group from 2001 to 2008, and simultaneously chairman of Vauxhall Motors from 2006 to 2008, becoming GM vice president of global sales, service and marketing in 2008. Browning worked for the Ford Group from 1997 to 2001, first as executive director of marketing for Ford Europe and then as the global managing director of Jaguar. He moved to the Volkswagen Group in June 2010.

"The U.S. will always be one of the largest and most important markets for automobiles," said Klingler, adding that this affords the Volkswagen Group significant growth opportunities. Klingler also reiterated the target to sell 200,000 Audi brand models and 800,000 Volkswagen brand models in 2018. "Volkswagen and Audi will become leading brands in the U.S."

Volkswagen Group is investing one billion dollars in the new Chattanooga plant, will be launching a unique marketing offensive in the U.S. and recently celebrated the world premier of the Jetta in New York's Times Square. According to Klingler: "The Group's board and top management fully support this market and its customers."