{also piping hot}
Is VW going trucking? It sure looks that way after the automaker rolled out a fully finished pickup concept at the New York International Auto Show in March. The four-door Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak (based on the Atlas utilityvehicle platform) was shown alongside the stylish five-passenger Atlas Cross Sport concept, which is a virtual lock for the 2019 model year. With the apparent resurgence of midsize pickup trucks in North America, the Tanoak makes sense, even if it’s just a concept at this point. Along with the current seven-passenger Atlas, adding the Cross Sport and Tanoak to the lineup would indicate that VW is forming a sub-brand of Atlas nameplates.
Genesis, what a concept: It’s rare that an automaker will go to the trouble of building stylistically whimsical vehicles that will never see the light of day. However at the recent New York International Auto Show in March, Hyundai’s Genesis division demonstrated the brand’s artistic proclivities. The all-electric Essentia concept features what’s called “Athletic Elegance”. One of the coupe’s primary visual cues is scissor-style doors that rarely make it to the production stage (ultra exotic models excepted). The interior could best be described as otherworldly, but not far from what you might expect in a car that’s loaded with selfdriving technology. Powering the Essentia is series of electric motors backed up by a centrally located battery pack extending the length of the vehicle.
GMC takes the off-road exit: The Sleuth got a good look at a special 2019 GMC Sierra pickup that launches this fall. It’s intended to sway truckers that might otherwise head off-trail in a Ford F-150 Raptor. The Sierra AT4 Crew Cab’s sheetmetal is done up in black paint and with black chrome bumpers. Fourwheel-drive is of course standard, as is a lifted-by-five-centimetres ride height, protective skid plates, locking rear differential and 18- or optional 20-inch wheels wrapped in off-road rubber. A 5.3-litre V-8 is standard, but a beefier 6.0-litre V-8 or the torquey 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel can also be selected at extra cost. GMC will eventually introduce other AT4 trim packages for other its product line, such as the midsize Canyon pickup Yukon utility vehicle.
If you like the Tacoma or 4Runner, you might actually love the 2019 RAV4: Toyota’s recently unveiled 2019 compact utility vehicle is more aggressive looking and is also longer and wider. The distance between the front and rear wheels has also been extended. The changes will likely appeal to most RAV-ers who will no doubt revel in the vehicle’s tougher appearance. The off-road-style blacked out lower body trim also adds to the effect. Beneath the hood sits a 2.5-litre four-cylinder that connects to an eight-speed automatic transmission, although hybrid models get a continuously variable unit. A new all-wheel-drive system can shift torque to the outside rear in a turn to help the vehicle yaw.