2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Global Reveal Chattanooga, TN. Just a few days ago I traveled to Chattanooga, Tennesse to attend the Volkswagen global reveal of their new 2020 Atlas. The new atlas was presented directly in the inside of Volkswagen’s state-of-the-art factory in Chattanooga, Tennesse. During the reveal, Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, explained the success of the previous 7-seater Atlas and talk to us about their new 5-seater Atlas Cross Sport, what is expected to increase sales and the previous success of the Atlas.
During the Atlas Cross Sport reveal Volkswagen has guests from the automotive media from several countries and also key politicians from Tennesse, including the governor of Tenessee, congressmen, and representatives. According to Scott Keogh, Volkswagen has had total support from the State of Tennessee in what he called a partnership between Volkswagen and Tennessee. The new Atlas is made right there in TN.
The new 2020 Atlas Cross Sport is expected to expand further the success of the Atlas. The new 2020 Atlas is ready to compete with mid-size SUVs.
American Volkswagen
We all know that the brand Volkswagen is not American, but with new trends of global economies and multinational companies like Volkswagen making regional products to satisfy the needs of specific markets then we start to wonder who is who?
Volkswagen USA has an amazing plant in Chattanooga, Tennesee, it has thousands of employees in the US. It keeps building good relationships with politicians and leaders in Tenesse where their US factory is based. But the story doesn’t end there….they created the Atlas especially to target the US market (even if it is sold in other countries too), so….at this point one starts to wonder if Volkswagen is still a German company? or…maybe we can say that it is an American producer (at least for some of their products like the atlas) but with German investors….perhaps that is the best way to describe what is happening to many multinational car companies that start to increase their presence in the US.
“Taking advantage of the success of the seven-seater medium SUV, we see an opportunity for a five-seat model that offers even more style and almost as much interior space,” said Scott Keogh, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “We hope to enter this growing segment with the Atlas Cross Sport, which offers outstanding technology, features and style of assistance to the driver of Volkswagen.”
Manufacturing cars in the US, helps US economy creating thousands of jobs and work for suppliers. It also gives Americans a closer relationship with the brand, and for Volkswagen it can also reduce taxes and transportation costs as these new cars like the Atlas are born in the US.
Assuming Volkswagen is becoming a little bit an Americanized brand now in 2019, then I also can assume that the new Atlas is a very Americanized SUV.
The new Atlas has is created, made and born in the US! the new 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport an American Product.
The Challenge? The Atlas’ model is still unknown for many
Volkswagen has been very successful with the Atlas, who doesn’t love the Atlas? Most Atlas buyers are first time Volkswagen buyers. This car is opening the doors for Volkswagen as a brand to reach a new market.
However there is a challenge, many car buyers don’t even know that Volkswagen is producing an SUV. New SUV buyers might go directly to Ford, Jeep, Toyota, without even giving a chance to Volkswagen dealers, just because these buyers are not aware of Volkswagen making a new SUV called the Atlas.
On the other hand, there are many car buyers who already know and love the Atlas and will keep buying it.
Sometimes pricing can be the problem, as the Atlas is not an inexpensive SUV. Pricing for the Atlas is in a mid-range between regular low price SUVs and Luxury SUVs, someway there in the middle, but whoever knows an Atlas and drove it, usually will have very positive attraction to buy it even if the price is a little higher.
The new 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport with 2 Rows
The previous year version was a 3 row 7 seater, but now Volkswagen sees an opportunity to compete harder with regular 2 rows 5 seats SUVs and that is why the new Atlas 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is born. This new SUV is the perfect product to sell and sell in the US.
This new 2020 Atlas mid-size five-seater SUV features a dramatic coupe-like design, as well as advanced connectivity and driver assistance systems, but more than that it looks so good, bolt, easy, and very American.
Perfect Size
The new Cross Sport is 2.8 inches shorter than the current Atlas and 2.3 inches shorter. It is 78.3 wide and travels on the same 117.3-inch wheelbase, which is the reason for the generous interior space.
The Cross Sport has 111.8 cubic feet for passengers, with 40.3 cubic feet destined for luggage behind the second-row seats and 77.8 with the second row folded.
The New Look of the 2020 Atlas
On the outside, the Atlas Cross Sport has a distinctive style that is based on the basic concepts of the Atlas, but takes it to a new level. On the front, the Cross Sport has an exclusive three-bar chrome grille to which is added a new and bright signature that extends the width of the center bar.
The new front bumper is aggressive, along with a subtly sculpted hood that completes the frontal treatment that looks remarkably close to the impressive concept that was shown at the 2018 New York Auto Show.
The profile of the new Cross Sport is more aggressive than the previous Atlas, with a heavily inclined rear pillar and rear hatch.
While the new lights with a sculpted rear bumper give the rear a real presence, while the chrome details on the sides of the lower body, the rear bumper and the windows add to the custom aspect of the design.
The R-Line ornaments have even more carved bumpers with chrome and piano black treatments around the front air intakes, as well as 21-inch aluminum-alloy wheels available.
Trim Levels
The new Atlas will be available on eight levels of equipment:
S, SE, SE with Tech, SE with Tech R-Line, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL Premium and SEL Premium R-Line.
Interior Design
The interior of the Cross Sport is well planned. There is a new steering wheel, with more intuitive controls, sewing accents available in the door and seat inserts and new high-tech features, including wireless mobile charging.
They include heated rear seats and steering wheel, as well as ventilated front seats, umbrellas in the back and a premium Fender audio system with 12 speakers.
The configurable instrument display of the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit is available in the SEL setting, as well as in the SEL Premium.
The Volkswagen Car-Net connection set is updated for MY20, with a mobile application that adds a long list of free services for five years and new subscription options.
For example, Car-Net RemoteAccess gives owners the ability to interact with their vehicle from miles away through the mobile application. This is offered at no additional charge for five years from the date of purchase of the vehicle.
Features include remote start and stop, door opening and closing, horn and flashing lights, last parked location and vehicle status display, which provides information on fuel level, mileage, and door status and window.
Atlas Advanced Technology
Let’s not forget that this is still a German product and we can expect the best technology and engineering.
Volkswagen owners with factory installed navigation can send destinations or points of interest directly to their car from the application, which helps save time.
Later this year, users will also be able to connect their VW Car-Net account to compatible smart home devices, to send voice commands to their vehicle and check the fuel level or start the engine remotely.
Car-Net Hotspot allows passengers to access the Internet with up to four devices connected simultaneously, including tablets, smartphones, laptops, gaming devices and more, all at a speed enabled for 4G LTE.
Atlas Cross Sport is available with a set of advanced driver assistance features.
The base S model has a standard frontal collision warning with autonomous braking (front assistance), blind-spot monitoring and rear traffic alert.
Further; Features such as Adaptive Cruise Control with a Stop and Go function and Parking Distance Control become standard.
The Cross Sport will be available with two propulsion systems
- 276 horsepower V6 and
- Turbocharged TSI engine and direct injection of four cylinders and 235 hp.
Both engines are coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission and are available with the Volkswagen 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.
The V6 has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, when equipped with the V6 trailer package.
The Atlas Cross Sport is built together with the regular Atlas and the Passat at the Volkswagen Chattanooga assembly plant, the result of an additional investment of $340 million by Volkswagen in their facilities in Tennessee.
Volkswagen keeps expending its US investment by investing more than $ 2.6 billion in the area and has about 3,800 direct employees. The Chattanooga factory expects to receive an investment of $800 million for the production of electric vehicles in the future.
The new 2020 Atlas Cross Sport will be available at Volkswagen dealers in the US very soon.
