The all-new Volkswagen Atlas large SUV will lead the brand's fightback in the US following the dieselgate emissions scandal.
The Atlas arrives after a lengthy development period and will be sold in
the US market, but not in Europe. It gets a muscular design to match US
preferences, which is inspired by the design of the Crossblue concept
that was first shown three years ago.
The Atlas has a squared-off
daytime running lights and a thick front grille, with muscular wheel
arches and sharp tail-lights. The car's look is distinctive and quite
different to the rest of Volkswagen's range, emphasising the effort the
car maker has made in appealing to American buyers.
Engines and gearbox
At launch, the Atlas comes with the choice of two
engines: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI with 238bhp and a
3.6-liter six-cylinder VR6 with 280bhp. Both units send drive
exclusively through an eight-speed automatic transmission, but the
2.0-litre has two-wheel drive only while the larger can be specified
with VR6 4Motion four-wheel drive. This technology offers several drive
modes to improve traction and performance on varying surface conditions.
Technical specifications
The Atlas is based on the Volkswagen Group's
MQB architecture, but it's significantly larger than its siblings; at
4922mm long, the Atlas is lengthier than the Skoda 225mm Kodiaq and
121mm event longer than the current largest Volkswagen SUV, the Touareg.
The Atlas is 1979mm wide and 1767mm high, making it wider 38 mm and 35
mm taller than the Touareg. Not only is it larger than any of the VW
passenger car on sale in Europe, it's also Volkswagen's largest US
model, too.
The cabin features the usual raft of VW dials and switchgear, shared
with the rest of its range. This includes touchscreen infotainment
mounted in the centre console and an optional digital screen behind the
wheel, the display of which can be customised according to driver
preference.
The car's infotainment can be specified with the Volkswagen
Car-Net, which brings Apple Carplay, Android Auto and Mirror links,
while an optional Fender Premium audio system, complete with 12 speakers
and a 480-watt amplifier, is claimed to be the most advanced ever
fitted to a Volkswagen.
Driver assistance systems include adaptive
cruise control, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking
(AEB), blind spot monitoring with a rear traffic alert system, lane
departure warning and park assist technology. VW claims that the Atlas
is also the only car in its class to come with an automatic braking
system post-collision, which keeps the brakes applied in the second
phase of an accident to prevent further impacts.
Along with this new safety system, the Atlas sets itself apart from the
rest of VW's SUV range with the biggest seating capacity. Three rows of
seats make the Atlas a genuine seven-seater that VW says can easily
carry seven fully-grown adults and their luggage.
VW has paid special
attention to making access easy, devloping a unique seat folding
mechanism specifically for the Atlas's second row of seats to maximise
space into the back.
Prices and on-sale date
At this stage, the US is
the only confirmed market for the Atlas, but China is understood to be
another potential area of interest in the future.
The US models will be
built in Chattanooga, Tennessee, US next year. Pricing and further
technical information will be released before the order books open.
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