Offering a look at how customers can trick out a new 2018 Volkswagen Atlas for maximum lifestyle enhancement, the Atlas Weekend Concept was shown at the Chicago Auto Show. Hearkening back to “Weekender” packages available on VW’s classic Vanagon and Eurovan models, this new-gen SUV-based alternative matches a selection of accessories that makes life on the road easier for humans and their pets.
Cruisin’ for adventure
Spun from an Atlas SLE Premium model, the Weekend Edition Concept features a 376-horsepower 3.6-liter VR6 engine, 8-speed automatic transmission and VW’s 4Motion AWD system — a combo that endows it with plenty of dynamic capability. This special Atlas rides on 245/60 Continental Terrain Contact tires wrapped around 18-inch Prisma alloy wheels with a bespoke anthracite gray finish. The most obvious accessory item on this one-off Atlas is its pop-up Urban Loader roof carrier that has a sleek profile when lightly loaded but expands to stow up to 17.5 cu. ft. of assorted stuff when necessary and can be easily accessed via the Atlas’ built-in side steps. The Weekend Edition Concept also features carrier bars that can accommodate everything from skis and snowboards to kayaks and bicycles along with window and hood air deflectors, front LED accessory lamps, splashguards and wheel locks.
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Inside, this VW dream cruiser boasts a pet-friendly barrier aft of the second row, as well as a heavy-duty cargo bay liner that wraps up to prevent damage to the the seat backs, all-weather rubber mats and a retractable privacy cover. On the infotainment front, the Weekend Edition Concept also features the new flexible universal mount system on each of the front-row seatbacks that allows passengers to secure and easily operate popular tablets. These can interface with the available Media Control setup that uses Wi-Fi and accommodates both Android and Apple iOS devices.
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Built in America at VW’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly facility, and based on the firm’s Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) architecture, the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas will hit showrooms across the country this spring.
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