cars news 10: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas Enters Production

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas entered series production today in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The seven-passenger SUV goes on sale next year.

The Atlas is the second vehicle to go into production at VW’s Chattanooga plant, the first being the Passat sedan. Despite early chatter that the future SUV could be built in Mexico, VW confirmed a production run for the vehicle in Chattanooga in mid-2014. Retooling the plant to produce the Atlas cost the automaker $900 million, as it had to expand the facility by more than 665,000 square feet, a 26-percent increase in floor space. VW has also brought on 400 new workers, and will add more as production of the Atlas ramps up. Originally, VW estimated the new vehicle would bring in at least 2,000 jobs.

Built specifically for the U.S. market, the Atlas is sized similarly to the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder in length and width. Two engines are available: a 238-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter VR6 rated at 280 hp. Both come paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. 4Motion all-wheel-drive models, which feature the bigger engine, have special snow and off-roading modes.

Expect the Atlas to arrive in dealerships in spring 2017.

Source: Volkswagen