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Volkswagen Designer Says the Atlas Looks like a "2012 Ford 'Whatever'"

Being in charge of the PR department at Volkswagen must currently be the best-paid job in the world, but also one of the most stressful. The fallout of the Dieselgate scandal, even if more than one year old, is still making itself felt, especially in the market where it all errupted.
2018 Volkswagen Atlas 21 photos
Photo: Volkswagen
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The U.S. has been kind of a forbidden land for Volkswagen. Even when the German giant managed (briefly) to be the best-selling company in the world, it was still not doing that great in the North American market. The two simply seemed to be incompatible for some reason, and no matter how hard the German side tried to figure out why that was, it always fell short.

The false emissions of its diesel engines did not help build its credibility, so Volkswagen is now at its lowest point in the U.S., at least as far as brand image is concerned. So what can it do to redeem itself? For one thing, it should never use the word "diesel" again. That's being taken care of, with VW focusing its communication on the EV assault planned for 2025.

Second, Volkswagen should hurry with changing the current lineup of vehicles the Americans can buy. The Jetta, Golf or Passat are tainted, so they need to go one way or another. The Golf has had its facelift, which is good timing, with the emphasis put on the more versatile Alltrack version anyway.

But some new blood is needed too. That came in the shape of the Atlas - a seven-seater SUV that should provide a big boost in sales for the German automaker. But the Atlas might have one problem - one that was pretty obvious from the moment it was first introduced.

The Truth About Cars talked to an unnamed member of Volkswagen's design team at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show, and asked them about their opinion on the new SUV. Normally, the employees are instructed by their management of PR officers what to respond, but this particular person felt like speaking the truth.

"It's boring. Of course it's boring," they said, in an outburst that must have felt quite exhilarating. “That vehicle is four years old. And by that, I mean it looks four years old.” You can't really argue with that. And it's not just because a vehicle's production timing does require some time to pass from when it's penned to when it actually hits the streets - no, the Atlas is simply a very unimaginative-looking car.

That isn't to say it won't find its clients. After all, not everybody is looking for swooping lines and intricate surfaces. This German simplicity may appeal to some, but at the same time, it could restrict VW's target audience. “It looks like a 2012 Ford whatever. It could be anything,” concluded the VW design team member.

The Atlas is actually quite reminiscent of the new Tiguan released on the European market earlier this year, which would suggest the Touareg will follow once the next generation is introduced. Is Volkswagen trying to bore the Amerians into submission, and everybody else at the same time? Well, Toyota did it once, so why shouldn't the Germans succeed as well?
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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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