Volkswagen has confirmed plans for a new five-seat variant of its Atlas SUV with the unveiling of the arresting Cross Sport concept at the 2018 New York motor show.
The new Volkswagen concept closely previews a second Atlas model planned to go on sale in various markets, including North America and China, in 2019 as part of a global SUV offensive initiated by the German car maker under the title “Moving Forward”.
To be produced alongside the seven-seat Atlas SUV at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant in Tennessee, the Atlas Cross Sport is being positioned as a more affordable alternative to the likes of the BMW X6.
As with the Atlas SUV, it is based on Volkswagen’s MQB (Modularen Querbau – modular transverse architecture) platform.
Stylistically, the new Atlas Cross Sport concept closely resembles the Atlas SUV but with some subtle styling changes that are expected to feature on the production version due out next year.
Up front, the new five-seat SUV sports a bold grille featuring full width LED light bands and illuminated badge that act as daytime running lamps to help accentuate its width. It also receives a more structured front bumper than its seven-seat sibling, with the lower section featuring a wide central air duct and large outer air ducts, intersected by matt aluminium highlights.
Further back, the Atlas Cross Sport adopts a contoured bonnet, prominent wheel arches filled with 22-inch wheels shod with 285/45 tires (tyres) as well as a heavily raked windscreen and structured flanks with a deeply etched swage line along the deep doors.
