VW Australia “interested” in Tanoak utility

Volkswagen captivated crowds at the New York motor show last week with the unveiling of its Atlas Tanoak utility concept – even drawing interest from Australia.

Local Volkswagen stakeholders have expressed their desire to offer the new monococque chassis utility if it were to ever be available in right-hand drive.

Built to gauge interest and market reaction at the show, the Tanoak is strictly a concept car at present. Named after a species of tree native to the Pacific Coast of North America, the dual-cab measures 5438mm long, 2030mm wide and 1844mm tall (184mm longer and 100mm wider than the current Amarok).

"There are no plans right now for production," Volkswagen of America chief executive Hinrich Woebcken said.

But should demand warrant a production version, Volkswagen is seemingly ready to roll the dice.

The Tanoak is based on Volkswagen’s ubiquitous MQB architecture, and uses suspension from the Atlas SUV – translating to a far smooth, more car-like ride than body-on-frame competitors.

Power comes courtesy of 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine that makes 206kW and 350Nm, sending drive to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

According to Volkswagen Australia general manager of communications, Paul Pottinger, the Tanoak is completely unrelated to the Amarok and its future direction.

“Absolutely if it were to be made in right-hand drive we’d be more than interested,” Pottinger said.

“It’s completely unrelated to Amarok. Being MQB architecture, it could be more different.”

The Amarok will remain in its current form until about 2021, it is understood. The Tanoak adopts a slightly different tack by focusing more on lifestyle needs than outright utility.

Speaking with Autonews, Woebcken said that the Tanoak could be a key platform for Volkswagen to take a shot at the lucrative American pick-up market.

"If you look at this big, very patriotic segment in America, this [large pickup] segment, that is something very difficult if you tried to jump into that business model," Woebcken said. "We would never be able to get the business economics together, at least with the volume expectations that we have in mind."

According to Woebcken, an MQB-based pick-up could be an exception to the rule.

"This business is all about scalability and getting business economics together — on the one hand offering customers affordable products and on the other hand giving Volkswagen a chance to make a fair margin on it," Woebcken said.