Volkswagen struggles in one of the largest car markets in the world – the US market – not only because of emission scandal but also due to the fact that their vehicles have a hard time to attract buyers.
A Business Insider reporter wrote: “Through November, the Volkswagen brand managed to move just 286,000 cars — down 10% over last year while representing a minuscule 1.8% share of the US auto market. All the while in Europe and Asia, VW is one of the most competitive brands in the market.”
The solution to this problem is an SUV, but in the US, Volkswagen already has the Tiguan and Touareg on sale. What they need is a large SUV, and the new VW Atlas fills that position.
The production of the new Atlas has started back in December 2016 at the factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The reporter added: “With three rows of seats and room for seven, the Atlas is expected to be a savior for VW’s struggling US business.”
The VW Atlas will be in the dealerships later in 2017, and the difficult task lies ahead of the German automaker, as they need to draw attention to their SUV model in an overcrowded segment.
VW also produced the “Weekend Edition” of the vehicle which sales haven’t even started. This Weekend Edition has been presented at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show earlier this month.
In a statement, VW said: “The Weekend Edition concept is based on an SEL Premium model, equipped with a 3.6-liter [six-cylinder] engine making 276 horsepower and an eight-speed transmission, paired with Volkswagen’s advanced … 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.”
Furthermore, they added: “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.”
“Volkswagen enthusiasts may appreciate the throwback to the ‘Weekender’ packages offered on the classic Vanagon and Eurovan pop-up camper models,” VW added. This is a great vehicle, especially if you have kids. For their entertainment, the Weekend Atlas comes with “universal tablet mounts” and devices that “can use the Atlas available Media Control feature due to the Wi-Fi technology for Android and iOS tablets and smartphones,” according to Volkswagen.
