VW Atlas Tanoak Concept Gallery

Volkswagen may not be the first automaker you associate with a pickup, but the company is at least flirting with the idea. Witness the big tease of the VW Atlas Tanoak, an Atlas SUV platform that has been stretched, had its rear lopped off, and generally positioned as VW's potential alternative to the Ford F-150.

On the outside, the regular Atlas gets beefed up with new styling and chunkier details. The rear bed length puts it in the midsize pickup category. Under the hood, there's a V6 engine; VW isn't talking what the pickup could potentially tow at this stage.

That's because this is still, at the end of the day, a concept with no current intention of production. The goal, VW claims, is to see just what sort of reaction this new Atlas variant receives when it makes its New York International Auto Show 2018 debut. If that goes well, things might get a little more real.