About

Why Southside Autowerks? Easy. Our Staff.

Our staff is made up of passionate people that are dedicated to providing honest, friendly and factory-like service, everyday. We believe the key to success is through making lasting relationships with our customers.

Our Story

Grant Batten as a teenager alongside red gocart
1980 - 1990s

My name is Grant Batten and I started Southside Autowerks. I've been taking cars apart and putting them back together since I was a kid.

Exterior photo of Luther Westside Volkswagen

VW TECHNICIAN, ASSISTANT SHOP FOREMAN

Westside Volkswagen

Volkswagen is my passion. I started my career back in 2000 in the wash bay at a small Volkswagen Dealership. Over the next nine years, I worked my way to technician, and eventually became a shop foreman.

Grant Batten works alongside APR mechanics

LEAD TECHNICIAN / ENGINEERING ASSISTANT

APR LLC

In 2009, my wife and I moved to Newnan, GA. I went to work for APR where I worked in many different areas including engineering, calibration and their motorsports program.

APR Super Beetle

MANAGER OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

APR LLC

During my last few years there, I managed a dream team of individuals in APR's Research and Development Department. From calibrating DSG's to working with the hardware team on the 3.0L Ultracharger System, it was quite an awesome ride.

The Volkswagen Learning Center, Atlanta, GA

VOLKSWAGEN TECHNICAL INSTRUCTOR

VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC.

After working at APR for eight wonderful years, I was offered a position with Volkswagen of America as a VW Technical Instructor. I couldn’t pass up working for the brand I love. Working for Volkswagen was amazing. I met a ton of great people and had the opportunity to be trained in Germany at the VW Academy. Ahh, the German way. So sterile, clean and full of procedures. That’s me.

OWNER

SOUTHSIDE AUTOWERKS

Over all that time, friends and family kept telling me to open my own shop. I would say, “Yeah, maybe someday”. Well that day has come! I opened a small location south of Atlanta in Newnan, Georgia in June of 2019.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide truly honest, factory-like quality repair for VW and Audi customers all at less than dealership prices.

If you’re tired of people trying to sell you a service that you may not need, all at a ridiculous price, give us a call. We’d love to chat about your vehicle.