【】

Yes, you read that right: Volkswagen may soon be building large, full-size pickup trucks.
。

The German automaker known for its compact passenger cars unveiled the Atlas Tanoak pickup truck concept on Wednesday, in one of the biggest surprises of the New York Auto Show.。

SEE ALSO:Volkswagen's I.D. Vizzion concept is a self-driving, electric dream car 。

This bad boy has all-wheel drive and a 276-horsepower engine. But don't get too excited yet: Volkswagen says that it has no product plans for this vehicle. Instead, it's unveiling is meant to "gauge the reactions of buyers and media," according to the company's announcement. 。

Mashable Light SpeedWant more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?Mashable Light SpeedWant more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.。

Thanks for signing up! 。

This move makes sense as demand for pickups grows. A number of top manufacturers including Ford, Chevy, and Ram have all unveiled new trucks in the last few months. Pickup sales rose by 4.8% in 2017, and the average price of Ford's F-series pickup, the most popular model in the U.S., hit a record $47,800 in December. It seems Volkswagen isn't sure yet if it can get a piece of the pie -- but it's putting out feelers. 。

So, if you really want this truck to stick around, we guess you should...send Volkswagen an email?

---

So, if you really want this truck to stick around, we guess you should...send Volkswagen an email? Show up to the Auto Show and give the CEO a hug? Tweet your enthusiasm emphatically?

---

Look, we're open to suggestions, but it's safe to say we're just as excited as you about this slick-looking new vehicle.
。

---

Featured Video For You。Hippies can go electric with this groovy Microbus from Volkswagen。