Photo: Volkswagen
Over in Europe, Australia, Africa, and South America, Volkswagen has a pickup truck in the guise of the Amarok. But in North America, the Wolfsburg-based automaker doesn’t have anything to offer in this segment.
Early last year, it was reported that Volkswagen could assemble the Amarok in the U.S. by means of a partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. But based on the complete silence on the subject, the deal didn’t went through.
Now there’s talk about how Ford and Volkswagen could twin the Ranger and Amarok for the next-generation models, coming as a result of a “strategic alliance.” In the meantime, there’s talk the Tanoak will go into production at some point after the Atlas Sport Cross will join the Atlas on the assembly line in Chattanooga.
Limited to 18 miles per hour, Automobile Magazin had a go in both concept vehicles at the Monterey Car Week. “Volkswagen has not yet committed to building the Tanoak pickup truck, but told us that the positive response from its debut at the New York auto show led them to start considering its viability in the U.S. market.”
Speaking to the engineers, Automobile Magazin found out that the MQB-based pickup truck “would be more affordable than the Honda Ridgeline” if Volkswagen were to put the Tanoak into production. Twinned with the Pilot crossover, the Ridgeline unibody pickup truck starts at $29,990.
The truth of the matter is, pricing isn’t everything that Volkswagen should take into consideration if they’re serious about the Tanoak. Ford launching the Ranger in the United States will steal even more sales from the Ridgeline, which sold 34,749 examples in 2017.
Unless Volkswagen can make the Tanoak an interesting alternative to mid-size competitors and the Ridgeline as well, there’s too little to gain from developing, tooling up a factory, producing, marketing, selling, and servicing the workhorse. Then there’s the matter of the narrow-angle 3.6-liter V6 in the Atlas, which is starting to show its age.
The bottom line is, there’s a reason Volkswagen gave the thumbs up to the Atlas Sport Cross and said no to the Tanoak. There’s plenty to consider before going forward with this project, and if there’s too little profit to be made from such an undertaking, Volkswagen will shelve the unibody pickup truck altogether.
Now there’s talk about how Ford and Volkswagen could twin the Ranger and Amarok for the next-generation models, coming as a result of a “strategic alliance.” In the meantime, there’s talk the Tanoak will go into production at some point after the Atlas Sport Cross will join the Atlas on the assembly line in Chattanooga.
Limited to 18 miles per hour, Automobile Magazin had a go in both concept vehicles at the Monterey Car Week. “Volkswagen has not yet committed to building the Tanoak pickup truck, but told us that the positive response from its debut at the New York auto show led them to start considering its viability in the U.S. market.”
Speaking to the engineers, Automobile Magazin found out that the MQB-based pickup truck “would be more affordable than the Honda Ridgeline” if Volkswagen were to put the Tanoak into production. Twinned with the Pilot crossover, the Ridgeline unibody pickup truck starts at $29,990.
The truth of the matter is, pricing isn’t everything that Volkswagen should take into consideration if they’re serious about the Tanoak. Ford launching the Ranger in the United States will steal even more sales from the Ridgeline, which sold 34,749 examples in 2017.
Unless Volkswagen can make the Tanoak an interesting alternative to mid-size competitors and the Ridgeline as well, there’s too little to gain from developing, tooling up a factory, producing, marketing, selling, and servicing the workhorse. Then there’s the matter of the narrow-angle 3.6-liter V6 in the Atlas, which is starting to show its age.
The bottom line is, there’s a reason Volkswagen gave the thumbs up to the Atlas Sport Cross and said no to the Tanoak. There’s plenty to consider before going forward with this project, and if there’s too little profit to be made from such an undertaking, Volkswagen will shelve the unibody pickup truck altogether.
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