| Motors
World premiere of the Volkswagen Atlas - All new
seven-seater SUV for America
World premiere of the Volkswagen Atlas in California! The new seven-seater SUV for the US market was unveiled
recently on Santa Monica Pier at the end of historic Route 66. The Atlas launches a new chapter in the company's
American history. The new model will be built in Chattanooga (Tennessee) for the North American market and offers
innovative technology and spaciousness. In addition, the new Atlas thrills with hallmark Volkswagen driving dynamics
and attention to detail.
his is the biggest and boldest
Volkswagen we have ever built
in the United States, delivering
the distinctive design and
craftsmanship we’re known for,
now with room for seven,” said
Hinrich J. Woebcken, Volkswagen CEO of
North America Region.
The Volkswagen Atlas opens up an
important segment for the brand: midsize SUVs
formed a tenth of all new registrations in the
USA in 2015. For the first time, Volkswagen’s
Atlas now offers a model in this high-volume
class in the category between the Tiguan and
the Touareg that is fully tailored to American
needs.
T
From the end of 2017 this large SUV will be
offered in the Russian and Middle Eastern
markets
Building on the modular transverse matrix
(MQB) from Volkswagen, the Atlas is born with
the latest Volkswagen design DNA. Classic
proportions and clean lines that create a sense
of timelessness and precision. Up front,
stand ard LED headlights and LED Daytime
Running Lights combine for a unique visual
signature, with optional LED taillights to
completethe look. With a length of 5,037 mm, a
width of 1,979 mm and a height of 1,768 mm
62 | Farming Monthly | November 2016
the Atlas is larger than any other Volkswagen
on sale in the USA.
Inside,the Atlas makes maximum use of its
dimensions to offer space for seven adults and
their luggage.The third row can be easily
reached by an innovative folding seat solution.
Clear, driver-centric displays enhance the
driving experience. In addition, the optional
Active Info Display (called the "Volkswagen
Digital Cockpit" in the USA) allows drivers
extensive options for configuring the display.
Volkswagen Car-Net offers a wide range of
online services, including standard AppConnect technology that offers integration with
the three major smartphone platforms – Apple
CarPlay™, Android Auto™ and MirrorLink®.
The new Atlas model also features a Fender®
Premium AudioSystem offering a sophisticated
sound experience with twelve speakers and a
480 Watt amplifier.
The Atlas offers a selection of premium SUV
driver assistance features. Depending on the
equipment line, these include: Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC); Forward Collision Warning and
Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist);
Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert; Lane
Departure Warning (Lane Assist), and Parking
Steering Assistant (Park Assist).
The Atlas is also the only vehicle in its class
to offer the Automatic Post-Collision Braking
System. This automatically initiates a
deceleration of the vehicle when a primary
collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus
helping reduce residual kinetic energy and, in
turn, the chance of additional damage.
The new Volkswagen Atlas arrives with a
choice of two powertrains: a 2.0- liter fourcylinder TSI with gasoline direct injection and
turbo charging with 175 kW / 238 PS and the
already available 3.6-liter VR6 engine with 206
kW / 280 PS. Both engines route power through
an eight-speed transmission.
The Atlas can be configured either as frontwheel-drive or with 4Motion all- wheel-drive in
combination with the VR6 engine.The 4Motion
system has a Driving Mode Selection feature
that allows the driver to select specific
parameters based on driving conditions. US
Environmental Protection Agency EPA fuel
economy estimates will be released ahead of
the launch in Spring of 2017.
The Atlas will be built alongside the Passat
for North America at the Volkswagen
Chattanooga assembly plant (Tennessee).
Volkswagen has invested an additional €900
million in the facility. The Chattanooga plant is
the only automotive manufacturing facility in the
world to receive Platinum certification for its
environmental excellence by the U.S. Green
Building Council’s Leadership in Energy &
Environmental Design (LEED) program.
From the end of 2017 this large SUV will be
offered in the Russian and Middle Eastern
markets.
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk