By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(April 5, 2018) Unlike the Atlas itself, Volkswagen's latest concept could not evade the company’s SUV naming convention, earning a model name — Tanoak — that begins with the 20th letter of the alphabet. Unlike the Tiguan, however, whose name is a combination of “Tiger” and “Iguana,” the Atlas Tanoak pickup concept’s secondary name comes from a type of evergreen that belongs to the beech family, but is considered an evolutionary link between oaks and chestnuts. The Tanoak was unveiled at the New York auto show.

Built on the same MQB modular underpinning used for everything from the Golf to the Atlas, the Tanoak is an all-wheel drive pickup concept in the Honda Ridgeline vein, powered by a 3.6-liter narrow-angle V6 producing 276 hp and 266 lb.-ft. of torque.

Unlike the similarly all-wheel drive Atlas Cross Sport concept, however, the Atlas Tanoak uses a conventional VW 4Motion unit instead of a drive-by-wire electric rear axle and hybrid system, though, we are told, it would be possible to fit the hybrid drive system to the pickup should it become necessary to build a hybrid version.

The pickup concept is 214.1 in. long (+15.8 versus the Atlas), 79.9 in. wide, 72.6 in. tall, and sits on a 128.3-in wheelbase (+11 in.). Raising the body nearly two inches increased ground clearance to 9.8 in., and the dual-cab five-seater has a cargo box that is 64.1 x 57.1 x 20.9 in. The spare wheel and tire are located under the cargo bed, making them easy to access if the bed is loaded. Also, the steel rail mounted to the pickup box can slide the length of the bed and act as a carrier for large items.

The Tanoak and production Atlas are basically the same from the nose to the B-pillars. The rear doors are unique, and feature door handles integrated into the lower C-pillar, while the pickup box is more Flareside than Styleside with its strong fender shapes. A winch is integrated into the front fascia, and sturdy tow hooks are fitted in the front and rear fascias.

Like the Atlas Cross Sport concept also shown at New York, the instrument panel retains the production Atlas’s layout and understructure, but uses much different styling. A majority of functions are now controlled digitally, with the touchscreen located on the upper portion of the IP alongside VW’s Digital Cockpit instrument display.

VW says it built the Atlas Tanoak to gauge interest in a mid-size pickup with the VW badge. The company investigated developing a version of the Amarok it sells in Central and South America, but adapting it to U.S. standards would be cost prohibitive. In addition, there is no VW Group assembly plant in the U.S. or Mexico capable of building that vehicle.

If approved (and there is little doubt VW will move swiftly forward with a production Tanoak), it could be ready for production by the middle of 2020 as a 2021 model. This would put it alongside the Atlas and the production version of the Atlas Cross Sport at VW’s Chattanooga, Tenn/. assembly plant, just in time for the large SUV’s mid-cycle refresh.

The Virtual Driver