2018 Volkswagen Atlas – Designed for the Family. 2018 Volkswagen Atlas – Drive, Interior and Exterior.
The all-new 2018 Volkswagen Atlas that will hit American roads this Spring was designed to let people live a life as big as their imaginations. At the 2017 Chicago Auto Show, Volkswagen of America, Inc., will demonstrate how the Atlas can be enhanced with smart accessories in a new concept, the Atlas Weekend Edition.
Volkswagen enthusiasts may appreciate the throwback to the “Weekender” packages offered on the classic Vanagon and Eurovan pop-up camper models. The Atlas Weekend Edition integrates several available accessories that enhance the Chattanooga-built SUV’s versatility with innovative cargo solutions.
The Weekend Edition concept is based on an SEL Premium model, equipped with a 3.6-liter VR6® engine making 276 hp and an eight-speed transmission, paired with Volkswagen’s advanced 4Motion® all-wheel drive with Drive Mode Select.
Riding on 18-inch Prisma wheels finished in a custom anthracite gray, the Atlas Weekend Edition features a modern variation of the pop-up roof—the Urban Loader cargo box. When empty, the Urban Loader offers a sleek, minimized appearance; when needed for hauling, it can expand to a 17.7 cubic-foot container. In addition, the Weekend Edition features base carrier bars for attaching accessories for skis, snowboards, kayaks or bikes. Reaching the extra roof storage or helping small children into the vehicle is easy with practical side steps.
Inside the Atlas Weekend Edition, a robust cargo divider provides a safe, pet-friendly barrier behind the second row, so that pets can ride in comfort. The Weekend Edition’s second row also features an innovative universal tablet mount that allows passengers to bring any popular variety of touchscreen tablet along for a getaway. The design provides easy access to the home button on the most common models, and the tablets can use the Atlas available Media Control feature using Wi-Fi technology for Android and iOS tablets and smartphones.
Other Volkswagen accessories built into the Atlas Weekend Edition concept include window and hood deflectors, a heavy-duty trunk liner with seat-back coverage, a privacy cargo cover, all-weather rubber mats, splashguards, and wheel locks. Many of these accessories will be available from Volkswagen dealers when the Atlas goes on sale in Spring 2017.
Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that it will offer the R-Line package on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The new trim package augments the Chattanooga-built SUV’s sportiness with exterior and interior design elements that give it an even more dynamic appearance. The Atlas R-Line will be introduced at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The R-Line package enhances the robust list of equipment in the Atlas SE and SEL trims—offering a full suite of connected vehicle services and driver assistance features—with performance-inspired treatments. The exterior styling details include 20-inch aluminum-alloy twin-spoke wheels; R-Line badging; unique front and rear bumpers that incorporate stylish air intakes at the front and a diffusor in glossy black paint at the rear; and side skirts.
Inside, the Atlas R-Line welcomes drivers with the R-Line logo on the start screen of Volkswagen’s Modular Infotainment Platform (MIB II). Other interior features include an R-Line steering wheel clip and stainless-steel sport pedal covers.
Like the standard Atlas model, the R-Line will be available in two engine options: a four-cylinder TSI® turbo or a 3.6-liter V6 engine. Both come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Volkswagen’s advanced 4Motion® all-wheel-drive system is available on V6 engined models.
The Atlas models will go on sale in the Spring of 2017, with the R-Line package going on sale later in the year.
