Photo: Volkswagen
For years, Volkswagen tried to win over American buyers with European hatchbacks. But it hasn't worked, and today they completely switched gears with the Atlas-derived Tanoak, a pickup truck concept.
We don't know the exact figures, but the Atlas has pretty much become omnipresent. Volkswagen wants to take advantage of that with two more MQB-based models, a pickup and a coupe-shaped version which was also presented at the New York Auto Show.
We knew that Volkswagen design studies usually stay pretty close to the finished project, but there hasn't been one specially made for the American market in a long time. Something about the headlights that go across the grille to create a singular unit seems undoable.
The Atlas Tanoak Pickup has been named after a tree that's native to the U.S. Pacific Coast and grows to 135 feet. Remind you of anything, perhaps the Toyota Sequoia? Anyway, Volkswagen is probably hinting at the modular MQB platform that underpins this concept.
At 214.1 inches long, the Tanoak study is an impressive 15.8 inches longer than the regular Atlas production SUV. It also dwarfs the 167.5-inch VW Golf. The other dimensions are as follows: 79.9 inches in width, 72.6 inches for the height and 128.3 inches for the wheelbase (11 inches more than the Atlas). It's also got taller suspension emphasized by 20-inch wheels wrapped in off-road tires.
Under the hood, you'll find six cylinders, just like in the majority of mid-size trucks. The 3.6-liter V6 engine is rated at 278 horsepower, which is sent to a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system via the familiar eight-speed gearbox. The production-intent concept is said to reach 60 miles per hour in only 8.5 seconds.
The 4-door body has room for five people and borrows heavily from the Atlas. You've got the digital cockpit and a 10-inch infotainment system. Interestingly, the climate control system is mostly digital, while the vents have a similar mesh pattern to the external front grille.
We knew that Volkswagen design studies usually stay pretty close to the finished project, but there hasn't been one specially made for the American market in a long time. Something about the headlights that go across the grille to create a singular unit seems undoable.
The Atlas Tanoak Pickup has been named after a tree that's native to the U.S. Pacific Coast and grows to 135 feet. Remind you of anything, perhaps the Toyota Sequoia? Anyway, Volkswagen is probably hinting at the modular MQB platform that underpins this concept.
At 214.1 inches long, the Tanoak study is an impressive 15.8 inches longer than the regular Atlas production SUV. It also dwarfs the 167.5-inch VW Golf. The other dimensions are as follows: 79.9 inches in width, 72.6 inches for the height and 128.3 inches for the wheelbase (11 inches more than the Atlas). It's also got taller suspension emphasized by 20-inch wheels wrapped in off-road tires.
Under the hood, you'll find six cylinders, just like in the majority of mid-size trucks. The 3.6-liter V6 engine is rated at 278 horsepower, which is sent to a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system via the familiar eight-speed gearbox. The production-intent concept is said to reach 60 miles per hour in only 8.5 seconds.
The 4-door body has room for five people and borrows heavily from the Atlas. You've got the digital cockpit and a 10-inch infotainment system. Interestingly, the climate control system is mostly digital, while the vents have a similar mesh pattern to the external front grille.
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