Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak Pickup Truck Could Still Happen

Volkswagen stunned visitors of the 2018 New York Auto Show with the unveiling of the Atlas Tanoak.

The concept, which is the first pickup truck to sit on the versatile MQB platform, has a short bed and an very appealing design.

It combines both soft and muscular lines and throws in some manly features such as plastic cladding, underbody protection and chunky off-road tires, whereas the LED lighting give it a futuristic flair.

Despite being nothing more than a show car, the Atlas Tanoak has a production-ready cabin, with soft touch plastics, leather trim and ambient lighting. It also gets an infotainment system and digital instrument cluster.

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Going from rest to 60mph (0-96km/h) takes a respectable 8.5 seconds, thanks to the 276hp (280PS / 206kW) 3.6-liter V6 that’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

So, all the right ingredients are there. Still, Volkswagen hasn’t made up its mind yet about whether it should build it or not.

Volkswagen US’ chief, Hinrich Woebcken, who talked to Autocar on the subject, explained why.

“It [the Atlas Tanoak Concept] fits the brand well, because we want to get more American in the US, but it’s something we have to look carefully at. It’s a very patriotic segment, which American manufacturers dominate.”