Volkswagen Rediscovers America

Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn was losing patience with the staff at VW's new factory in Chattanooga. It was January, and Winterkorn had just presented a U.S. version of the Passat sedan at the Detroit Auto Show. As the plant prepared for its official opening on May 24, workers were struggling with the Passat's paint finishes, while the chrome accents in the air vents, door openings, and gear shifts didn't all shine with the same brilliance.

Winterkorn wanted to examine the chrome finishes, and the parts were hung on a wall for his inspection. Not right, said Winterkorn: He wanted them arrayed side by side in a Plexiglas case. "I have to look at the parts from above, just the way customers will in the car," explained the VW chief.