That filter location is a royal pain. Was probably easier to access in the transverse mounted cars that the engine was originally designed for. Great engine though.
On the Cayenne (aka Touareg) it is buried up high and you can either remove the plug in the housing and have oil go all over, or just spin off the housing and have oil go all over while threading it out. Reminds me of my old Mercedes M110 engine. I have been spoiled by my wife’s N55 X3, trap door door the drain plug, canister on top of the engine in the front. Oil change is 20 minutes from walking into the garage to back in the house, zero mess.
V. simple on Atlas. Remove belly pan. Use a 8(?)mm allen to remove the drain plug on the filter housing. Then spin off the filter housing with a 36(?)mm socket. It's located about center in the front.