May 15, 2008 -- May 15, 2008--Shanghai Volkswagen opened its fourth auto plant in Jiangsu province to meet the surging requirements of Chinese clients, the company announced on April 18. The new plant is located in Nanjing on a 640,000-square meter area that used to be owned by Fiat SpA, according to the China Daily. The company has deployed about 1,200 employees to the new plant.

Volkswagen Group China increased deliveries to customers in China Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau during the first quarter of 2008 by 32.5 percent to 268,200 vehicles, according to the company. Sales of the Volkswagen brand during the same period reached 221,420, including 2,663 imported vehicles. The first quarter sales volume was up 24.4 percent from the comparative year-ago level.

The first auto model to be produced at the Nanjing plant will be the Santana Vista, a mid-size car. The site in Nanjing is the 49th in the worldwide production network of the Volkswagen Group.