Volkslieferwagen: They Call It An "Amarok"

[Eric.]

So they put a VW front clip on a Colorado and called it a day?

 

[homeforsummer]

I quite like it. And apparently it's actually very good. VW are quoting 36mpg UK, which is about 30mpg in US gallons (though presumably measured on the EU cycle rather than EPA). It also pleases me that VW have obviously had a think about where this thing is going to be used, and given it some heavy-duty looking plasting wheelarch extentions, rather than them being part of the metal like they are in a lot of other pickups. They're going to get bashed, and if that's going to happen then at least plastic can be replaced cheaply, and even if you don't bother fixing it it won't then rust and look crap.

The 2.0 TDI it's using is supposed to be a good'un too. It's the same unit they've put in the facelifted Transporter and given a DSG 'box to...

 

[buickgnx88]

Yeah I believe that was mentioned in the thread already. Of course, building a new factory here would probably be out of the question (though both Nissan and Toyota built factories here...)

 

[homeforsummer]

What if they built it in Mexico?...

 

[buickgnx88]

True, I forgot about that.

 

[Joey D]

I'm not sure if companies can build something in Mexico and circumvent the tariff, my world economic knowledge is a bit lacking.

They could send CKD's to the US and have them assembled here, but I doubt they'd sell enough Amarok to justify the cost of that. American's seem particular about their trucks.

 

[Eric.]

NAFTA?

Anway, regarding the plastic arches, most people don't go banging their brand new trucks off road, so its kinda a moot point. Looks like that's on the el-cheapo 2WD model anyhow.

 

[buickgnx88]

Doesn't have to be off road, could just be the parking lot at the local Home Depot or a construction site.

 

[Jim Prower]

'round here, if it has four wheels and a bed, it will go into a muddy field at some point.

 

[YSSMAN]

I still think VW needs to try and sell it here. GM's offerings are fairly lackluster, the Ranger will be redesigned within the next couple years (VW could get a head start) and the current model is over a decade old, and Dodge's offering is closer to a full-size.

While I'd love to have the VW truck here, it just won't fit their American brand image. Given that we don't have any of their apparently awesome vans and other utility vehicles, yeah, VW would probably be better sticking to cars and SUVs.

As for the rest of the truck market, I agree, we need to see some fresh faces. The Frontier and Tacoma have literally run away with the market seemingly because they are the only ones who care. Sure, the Ranger is as tough as nails because they've been building the same damn truck for the better part of two decades... But it doesn't justify the price of that truck at all. The Colorado/Canyon should have been replaced by the Ute. It still could happen, but it probably won't. Truth be told, its a damn shame.

 

[Tornado]

Though it isn't particularly hard to get around the chicken tax, even if it isn't as easy as it was in the 70s; so VW could rather easily import it if they wanted to.

 

[Philly]

Build it in Chattanooga?

While I'd love to have the VW truck here, it just won't fit their American brand image. Given that we don't have any of their apparently awesome vans and other utility vehicles, yeah, VW would probably be better sticking to cars and SUVs.

I agree. VW doesn't stand for "the people's car" in America quite as much as it does in Europe. It's really kind of a novelty car or an entry level luxury car here. It wouldn't quite make sense for them to build a work truck with that sort of image.

 

[homeforsummer]

Anway, regarding the plastic arches, most people don't go banging their brand new trucks off road, so its kinda a moot point. Looks like that's on the el-cheapo 2WD model anyhow.

>

Doesn't have to be off road, could just be the parking lot at the local Home Depot or a construction site.

Exactly. I don't know whether people who own pickups where you are don't actually do anything with them other than molycoddle them, but in the UK, vans and pickups are used hard. They can rack up hundreds of thousands of miles in only a handful of years, and there are plenty of work vans and pickups as young as five years old with visible rust from where they've been whacked and scraped in daily use.

Tough plastic panels on commercial vehicles are a very good idea.

 

[Moglet]

A single cab version had been spied.

Now that, I like. It makes a lot of sense and is clearly designed to be fit for one purpose instead of trying to do too much. 👍

 

[05XR8]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/A87D60B7510AC0F9CA258059002060C1

VOLKSWAGEN’S upcoming Amarok V6 pick-up will arrive equipped with an overboost function to temporarily boost power and torque from its 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine.

Overboost increases power from 165kW to 180kW and torque from 550Nm to 580Nm when the accelerator is at least 70 per cent depressed, and only works in third or fourth gear from 50km/h.

Only working for 10 second bursts, the system needs a five second break after use before re-engaging. Volkswagen says it has received more than 6000 inquiries about the V6 Amarok, which goes on sale on November 24.

High-interest levels are likely due to the fact that it is the only pick-up in its class that uses a turbo-diesel V6, making it ideal for towing and load-lugging as its power and torque figures surpass that of its four and five-cylinder rivals.

The Amarok V6 is expected to remain without a rival until Mercedes-Benz introduces its recently revealed X-Class in 2018, which will likely employ a turbo-diesel V6 in top-spec guise.

The 3.0-litre V6 in the Amarok is used in a number of other Volkswagen Group models, including the Touareg, Porsche Panamera and Cayenne, and the Audi A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5 and Q7.

When the new Amarok range kicks-off, customers will have a choice between rear-wheel-drive, switchable four-wheel-drive and permanent four-wheel-drive traction depending on the variant, with power being fed through either an eight-speed automatic transmission or manual gearbox.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Carlos Santos said that the Amarok V6 was more than just a novelty.

“The Amarok V6 is not an over-hyped concept or a badge engineering exercise,” he said.

“It’s real, it’s almost here and it brings the world’s best V6 turbo-diesel, the same unit used by Porsche and Audi in luxury SUVs.”

Volkswagen has found 6505 homes for the Amarok to the end of September this year, a 4.6 per cent increase on the 6219 sold over the same time period last year.

The V6 Amarok will give the range a much-needed sales boost, as it currently trails rivals such as the Toyota HiLux on 30,827 sales, the Ford Ranger (26,940), Mitsubishi Triton (17,338), Holden Colorado (14,407), Nissan Navara (12,733) and Mazda BT-50 (11,279).

 

[TenEightyOne]

I drove one of these a few months ago, I was surprised how much nicer it was than the Mitsi my friend had replaced. Very VW-ish, but hopefully a bit more reliable.

 

[05XR8]

I drove one of these a few months ago, I was surprised how much nicer it was than the Mitsi my friend had replaced. Very VW-ish, but hopefully a bit more reliable.

I had the Tritonand and Amarok as drive cars. The Triton spoiled up better, but was noisier and the suspension stiffer(not comfy). Nighttime gauges were nearly illegible.
The Amarok bed is deeper for stacking and the interior more businesslike.
In servicing the Triton isn't that bad, but we replaced a fair amount of egr coolers on the Amarok.

 

[05XR8]

V6 Amarok
http://www.goauto.com.au

Australia gets the most potent Amarok V6 engine available globally, producing 165kW of peak power at 3000rpm and 550Nm of torque from 1500-2750rpm, setting a new segment benchmark by some margin.

It steals the title from Holden’s Colorado (147kW at 3000rpm and 500Nm at 2000rpm from 2.8 litres). Only the Nissan Navara develops peak torque from so low in the rev range, but its little 2.3-litre four is 120Nm shy of the big VW six.

It is capable of 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.9 seconds, with the official combined fuel consumption figure of 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres an improvement over the outgoing flagship 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder Amarok automatic (8.3L/100km)

The fuel figure also puts the Amarok V6 close to class best, bettered only by much smaller four-cylinder engines in the Navara (7.0L/100km) and Mitsubishi Triton (7.6L/100km).

An overboost function ups power to 180kW for up to 10 seconds when the driver pushes the accelerator past 70 per cent of its travel, between 50km/h and 120km/h. Volkswagen claims overtaking acceleration from 80km/h to 120km/h takes just 5.5 seconds.

Keeping the extra punch in check are the segment’s biggest brakes, with 332mm front rotors and 300mm rear discs. For comparison the next-biggest front discs are on a Toyota HiLux at 319mm, while all other competitors – and the four-cylinder Amarok – have drum rear brakes.

The V6 engine does service in other Volkswagen Group products, such as the 200kW/600Nm Audi Q7, it produces significantly more power and torque, so the tune applied to the Amarok is relatively under-stressed.

Volkswagen Group Australia product marketing manager Nick Reid said the Amarok makes this V6 engine available in a sub-$80,000 vehicle for the first time.

Wonder what will happen with the SuperUtes
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/F7D92B2F122A2F9BCA258075000EAE22

At the time, VW executives hinted that a performance-oriented Amarok would be ideal for the Australian market.

Dr Michel was cooler on the idea of a V8 Amarok, such as the Passion Desert concept developed by German tuning house MTM for and unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March, with a 4.2-litre twin-turbo V8 diesel churning out 305kW and 930Nm.

“It’s funny, we are introducing the V6 and now everyone is talking about a V8,” said Dr Michel.

 

[05XR8]

Amarok V6 tow rating rises to 3500kgs, as does talk of a higher performance model

The V6 range currently stands at three – the Sportline, Highline and Ultimate – but the local importer is still negotiating with head office over the availability of an entry-level Core version, which has been the subject of discussion since 2016.

“We are in negotiations we the factory at the moment about how we push down with the range to create a more tradie-focused version,” said Mr Reid, who acknowledged that discussions had been in play for some time.

“We have been working on it for a while,” he said. “The Australian market is unique in that it’s a capacity-driven market (for Amarok), so we’re aligning with other markets that aren’t as capacity-driven. Looking at the UK, they were apprehensive about the V6, but it’s been extremely popular there, and exceeded their expectations by a long shot.

“The acceptance of the V6 model is growing, and that will help our case.”

Mr Reid suggested, however, that strong sales of the V6 Amarok in the UK helps when it comes to negotiations.

Mr Reid also confirmed that the company has discussed the release of a more sport-orientated model to go up against the likes of the incoming Ford Ranger Raptor and HSV’s Colorado SportCat.

 

[05XR8]

Amarok V6 gets a manual

According to VW Commercial Vehicles Australia director Ryan Davies, off-roading enthusiasts have been begging for a manual Amarok for quite some time now.



“At every off-road, caravan and camping expo and Big Red Bash concert the team and I attend, we speak with current owners and members of the off-roading community who have begged us to bring an Amarok V6 manual to Australia,” he said.



“It was because of that passion that we were able to mount a case with our head office in Germany to build one and, based on Australia remaining the number one export market in the world for the V6 Amarok, we are finally able to offer this unique, Aussie-spec 'Rok.”



Not only was VW Australia pivotal in securing production of the manual Amarok, VW Australia communications general manager Paul Pottinger confirmed to GoAuto that Australia was the only market in the world being offered the new transmission.

 

[05XR8]

https://www.caradvice.com.au/931096...ord-ranger-raptor-rival-off-road-amarok-w580/

 

[Keef]

Wow @05XR8 I respect your dedication to this thing.

Honda has sold a fair number of Ridgelines so why VW doesn't think the Amarok will do well here I'm not sure. It can't possibly be softer than a Ridgeline.

 

[05XR8]

As per my old post, when I worked at a dealership and drove it, it made a lasting impression.
Anyway, an owner of the company I used to work for, had traded his year-old L70 LandCruiser, for an Amarok. A manager at the same place, also traded in his fairly new HiLux for an Amarok.

I haven't compared Ridgeline performance to the Amarok. So, not sure about where it sits in a comparison: Amarok too expensive? Not enough towing capacity? Not enough cargo capacity? Not as user friendly as the Honda?

One real shame is, not getting to see how the X-Class would have done versus the Amarok. I see plenty X-Classes on the road. Maybe a second generation X-Class, would have been a revolution than evolution.

 

[Crash]

Honda has sold a fair number of Ridgelines so why VW doesn't think the Amarok will do well here I'm not sure. It can't possibly be softer than a Ridgeline.

Ridgeline is built in North America. Amarok right now will be subject to the Chicken Tax.

 

[Keef]

Ridgeline is built in North America. Amarok right now will be subject to the Chicken Tax.

Chattanooga, Atlas. VW just isn't trying hard enough.

 

[05XR8]

VW unveils 2023 Amarok range set for Aus

VW has finally shown its new generation ute, which is due Down Under early next year

www.goauto.com.au