Volkswagen of America has commissioned a one-off GT concept of its two-row Atlas Cross Sport that employs the more powerful 2.0-liter engine from the Golf R, two rows of Recaro racing seats and color-matched performance calipers and wheel inserts to match the vehicle’s striking “Kingfisher Blue” paint scheme.
The build was done by VW enthusiast Jamie Orr, owner of Orchid Euro, as a way to “inject some of that VW magic into our SUVs,” Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said in a statement. “This concept is proof that it’s possible to build SUVs that could appeal to our performance enthusiast base.”
Hand-painted at VW’s Chattanooga assembly plant, the Atlas Cross Sport GT concept is built on the vehicle’s top trim line, with 22-inch ABT Sport HR Aerowheels, wrapped in Yokohama Advan Sport V105 UHP 285/35R22 tires. The vehicle features ST Suspension XTA Plus 3 coilovers with color-matched and GT Concept-branded springs and TAROX eight-piston front brakes, with concept gloss-black exterior trim pieces replacing the standard chrome finishes. Custom GT badging also is used.
The concept is powered by a 300-plus hp version of the EA888 2.0 TSI turbocharged engine and the radiator is from the previous-generation Golf R. The all-wheel-drive concept also employs a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The Kingfisher Blue exterior color, called Eisvogelblau on some VW products in Europe, is incorporated through the concept’s interior, including the seats, safety belts and custom gear shift knob.
A custom-made rear-seat center console is sandwiched between the two second-row Recaro seats, which are also trimmed in the exterior color.
VW says it intends to display the concept at select events across the U.S. this year, in part to measure consumer reaction.