The VW Atlas Cross Sport GT Concept has a lower and wider stance, only four seats, and a 300 hp engine!
Performance-oriented SUVs are all the hype right now, and VW wants to be part of it. Say hello to the Atlas Cross Sport GT Concept, a four-seater SUV with 300 hp.
According to Volkswagen, the SUV initially came to life as the outgoing 2021 Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line at the Chattanooga assembly plant in Tennesse. The R-Line is one of VW’s best-selling SUVs, producing 235 hp for the four-cylinder engine and 276 hp for the V6. However, the three-row SUV is more about practicality and not really performance-oriented—but that was before it grabbed the attention of VW enthusiast and brand ambassador Jamie Orr, who came up with the plans for the Atlas Cross Sport GT.
Unlike the standard model, the Atlas Cross Sport GT ditches the third row in favor of a four-seater layout—not that 3-row SUVs can’t be sporty, but, you know, four racing bucket seats are definitely sportier. It also comes with lower GT ST Suspension XTA Plus 3 coil-overs suspensions, GT branded coil springs, and TAROX eight-piston front brakes.
Under the hood, the Atlas Cross Sport GT comes with the EA888 2.0 TSI engine from the Golf R. Moreover, Orr pairs the engine with an IS38 turbocharger and an additional front-mounted radiator, good enough for a healthy 300 hp. A seven-speed DSG® automatic transmission helps in delivering all that extra power to the sophisticated 4Motion all-wheel-drive system,
Of course, all the power in the world is of no use unless you have enough grip to transfer it to the pavement and make the car move forward. To take care of that, Jamie Orr chose to go with four massive 22-inch ABT Sport HR Aerowheels with blue accents wrapped in Yokohama Advan Sport V105 285/35R-22 tires. If that’s not enough to convince you of the Atlas’ transformation from a family SUV to a performance-oriented behemoth, I don’t know what will.
So far, the company is yet to provide detailed performance figures. However, with its massive arsenal of upgrades and added power, we are speculating a 0-60 mph sprint quicker than 6 seconds.
“The brand new Atlas Cross Sport GT Concept appeals to a more performance enthusiast customer base. We want to let them experience a product that is both big and fast at the same time,” said Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America.
Unfortunately, the Atlas Cross Sport GT is only a concept, though, part of VW’s recent push for tuned one-offs of its existing vehicles—so no, it will probably never make it to production.
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