Atacama Project will be produced in Argentina and will share platform, V6 turbodiesel engine and future hybrid version with the new generation of the pickup
Volkswagen is working on creating an SUV derived from the next generation of the Amarok to compete with the Toyota SW4 and GWM Haval H9. Internally named Project Atacama, the model should be produced at the General Pacheco plant in Argentina, and share platform, suspension, mechanics and technology with the pickup, scheduled to debut in 2027.
The information is from Argentine journalist Horacio Alonso. According to him, the project is already part of Volkswagen’s internal planning meetings in Argentina and takes advantage of the so-called Patagonia Project, a US$ 580 million (about R$ 2.9 billion) program aimed at modernizing the plant and the new Amarok for the South American market. The automaker has not officially confirmed the launch of the Atacama; It only admits that other products are still being studied in the strategy for the region.
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The proposal follows the same formula adopted by Toyota and Chevrolet with the Hilux/SW4 and S10/Trailblazer pairs: use the structure of a pickup truck to create a seven-seater SUV, reducing development costs and increasing the profitability of the project.
The initiative would also help fill the idle capacity of the Argentine factory, which started operating in one shift only after the end of production of the Taos. The engine should repeat the offer of the Amarok, with the V6 3.0 turbodiesel of 258 hp and a future hybrid version with a set of 470 hp, being developed in partnership with the Chinese SAIC, a historical partner of the Volkswagen group in China.
The segment of large SUVs derived from pickup trucks still has few options in Brazil. The Toyota SW4 has led category sales for years, with the GWM Haval H9 as a recent competitor and the Chevrolet Trailblazer running on the outside.
Despite the study already underway, Volkswagen has not started the quotation phase with suppliers – a sign that approval will depend on the commercial performance of the new Amarok. If it goes ahead, the SUV would only hit the market after the debut of the pickup, scheduled for 2027, probably from 2028.
