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Volkswagen Atlas R, Where "R" Stands for Rendering

The last thing that the recently unveiled Volkswagen Atlas exudes is sportiness. With a face like that, you don't really ever need to run to or from something, as they will either come your way or get out of it.
Volkswagen Atlas R rendering 1 photo
Photo: X-Tomi Design
The Atlas is a bit of an oddball. It's large -well, longer - than the Touareg, the biggest Volkswagen SUV so far, and yet it's built on the MQB platform. Yup, that's the same one underpinning the Golf. Its name does say it's modular, but this is stretching things a bit too far. Literally.

However, you won't hear anyone at Volkswagen complain about it. After the positive initial reaction over the Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen is now using the same platform for an SUV of its own. And while it may seem like just another model in the vast lineup of the German manufacturer, this one is really important.

That's because as far as the US market goes, its name could not have been more appropriate. Atlas was a Titan condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders forever, and while the SUV's burden might not be as great, it does carry the fate of the most popular German brand in the North American continent.

It's too early to draw any conclusions, but for such a vital mission, you could say the VW Atlas appears to be a little underwhelming. But, as we've said before, this car isn't about looks or performance, but practicality. With a touted price around $30,000-45,000 and what looks like a beautiful interior with plenty of tech, the Atlas could sway family men and women its way by virtue of the overall package, and not the styling.

But what if Volkswagen also offered an R version of the Atlas? It is said to come with two engines - a 2.0-liter TSI and an older 3.6-liter VR6 mill. With just 42 horsepower separating the two (238 vs. 280), it's hard to make a compelling case for the V6, but the R version would definitely have to use a completely different engine.

Which is one more reason why it won't ever happen. Well, we can at least hope Volkswagen will sell an R styling package, and if it turns out to look like this rendering made by X-Tomi Design, then we really wouldn't mind. Still, it would be a shame if it didn't also go as fast as the exterior design would suggest.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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