It previews a production model coming to the United States in 2019
As promised, VW has brought a more compact version of the Atlas SUV to the New York Auto Show.
It's called the Atlas Cross Sport concept, and it previews a production model that will arrive in the United States in 2019. As you can see, it looks more like a pre-production model than a design study — both the exterior and interior look production-ready to us.
Design-wise, the Atlas Cross Sport looks more dynamic than the seven-seat Atlas, thanks to a sportier stance, sleekly raked C-pillars, as well as short overhangs. It's not a small vehicle, though. It is 190.8-inches (4,849-mm) long, 68.3-inches (1,735-mm) tall and 79.9-inches (2,029-mm) wide.
Styling highlights include new LED headlights that blend in with the two-bar grille better than on the seven-seat Atlas thanks to the fact that the grille crossbars double as LED DRLs. The roof spoiler with black side fins is another distinctive design element, as are the flared wheel arches and the massive 22-inch aluminum alloy wheels shod with 285/40 tires. At the rear, the LED taillights are placed above an aluminum trim line that accentuates the SUV's width — as does the aluminum trim piece that unites the tailpipe surrounds.
The Atlas Cross Sport's dashboard is dominated by three big displays: the 12.3-inch Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, 10.1-inch central touchscreen with proximity sensors and gesture control, and a smaller touchscreen for the climate control settings.
The "Sport" in the model's name is justified by the presence of a 355-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines the Atlas' 276-hp 3.6-liter V6 with two electric motors: a front-mounted one that develops 54 hp and 162 lb-ft, and a rear unit that makes 114 hp and 199 lb-ft. A compact 18.0-kWh lithium-ion battery housed in the center tunnel supplies energy for the motors and allows for an all-electric range of 26 miles (42 km) in E-Mode — there are also four other driving modes: Hybrid, GTE, Off-Road, and Battery Hold/Battery Charge.
The Atlas Cross Sport concept is able to sprint from 0 to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just 5.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h).
VW says the Atlas Cross Sport could be equipped with a mild hybrid powertrain as well using the same V6 engine and electric motors, but with a smaller 2.0-kWh battery. In this case, total system power would amount to 310 hp, allowing the SUV to go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and reach the same top speed of 130 mph.
The production version of the VW Atlas Cross Sport will launch in the U.S. in 2019.
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