VW Hints At Tanoak Production, Decision Likely Hinges On Demand

The New York Auto Show was full of surprises this year and one of the biggest was Volkswagen’s Atlas Tanoak concept.

The pickup was an instant hit but Volkswagen was careful to note “there are currently no production plans” for the model. However, the company didn’t seem to rule out the possibility altogether as the automaker said it was “keen to gauge the reactions of buyers and media, since pickup trucks are one of the biggest volume segments in the U.S.”

Volkswagen of America CEO Hinrich Woebcken recently expanded on those comments by telling Wards Auto the company could examine demand outside of the United States in order to build a business case for the pickup. As the executive noted, the Atlas crossover is exported to Russia and Middle Eastern markets so Volkswagen could potentially do the same with a production version of the concept.

If Volkswagen were to determine there is enough demand to sell the truck in markets besides the United States, it would likely go a long way in helping to justify a production model. Unfortunately, Woebcken wouldn’t say how many trucks the company would have to sell to make a business case and he noted production plans are “definitely not decided.”

If the concept were to be green lighted, it would likely be built in Chattanooga, Tennessee alongside the Atlas and the production version of the Atlas Cross Sport concept which will be launched next year. The model would presumably echo the concept which was based on the MQB platform and was billed as a “large midsize pickup.”

The concept was equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that produced 276 hp (205 kW) and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque. It was connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system which enabled the truck to run from 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds.