It’s not nearly as elegant as the interior concept.
Volkswagen will do the exact opposite of the compact Tiguan to make a seven-seat Allspace model. In an effort to catch up to the growing popularity of crossover “coupes”, the midsize will drop the third row in favor of a more sporty version, which will be called Atlas Sport.
We have already Driven a prototypeOur spies caught a test vehicle in Death Valley still wearing a lot camouflage. It will be styled like the Atlas but with a slightly sloped roofline, a smaller body and an overall length of 5.7 inches (14.4 cm). We hope some of the great looks of the Namesake concept The production version will be influenced by 2018, especially in the interior.
New spy images show that the Atlas Cross Sport production will feature a nearly identical dashboard design. We had the chance to test drive the prototype which featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the same touchscreen in the center console. This seems to be true here as well, however we will remind you that the prototype had a 10.1 inch display for the infotainment system while the Atlas has a smaller 8-inch unit.
The concept also included a second touch panel that was mounted lower to the middle console to adjust the climate control settings. The production-ready Atlas Cross Sport will have the same buttons and knobs as the regular Atlas, and many other VWs that are sold in North America and Europe.
In 2017, Auto Express magazine was informed by Dr. ElmarMarius Licharz (head of product line for medium- and large cars) about the new 3.0-liter VR6 motor. Martin Hube, the product line spokesperson, spoke to Car Throttle at the end of the year about the prototype six-cylinder Arteon engine with 404 horsepower on tap. The Arteon R and two Atlas crossovers should get it someday.
Side note: The Atlas already has a turbocharged 2.5 liter VR6 with 295 horsepower, but it is only available in certain parts of the globe as the Teramont. This engine is also available in China to power the SMV crossover. It’s the largest Volkswagen Group vehicle ever built on the flexible MQB platform.