A new-generation Volkswagen Amarok has been spied on Australian roads ahead of first dealer arrivals in May.
The vehicle, spied by a reader near Volkswagen Australia’s head office in Sydney, is a mid-range Style that appears to be finished in Bright Beige.
The company confirmed in March the first vehicles had already touched down for internal training and launch activities, with higher-spec models arriving first.
VW also said it had fielded more than 10,000 expressions of interest and that it’s “well-placed” to offer “good stock” of the new-generation ute.
The latest Amarok will come from South Africa instead of Argentina, and Australia is expected to continue to be the biggest market for the model.
It’s expected to compete with the T-Roc for top billing on the Volkswagen sales charts, as the brand cashes in on 12 years’ worth of previous-gen Amarok owners keen on a new model.
It should also score points with family buyers who ruled out the now-defunct first-generation car due to the lack of rear side airbags and active safety technology. The new model has a much fuller list of safety kit as standard.
Under the skin, the new Amarok has been developed on the same platform as the latest Ford Ranger.
The powertrain line-up will consist of a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder (in two states of tune), a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, and a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.
While the Ranger will be offered with the 2.3-litre petrol engine in other markets, in Australia it’s a diesel-only affair.
That gives the Amarok another point of differentiation not just from the Ranger, but also from its rivals; the few remaining petrol utes in this segment are entry-level, fleet-spec models.
Volkswagen will offer five trim levels: Core, Life, Style, PanAmericana, and Aventura.
Pricing starts at $50,990 before on-road costs and extends to $70,990 before on-roads in Australia.
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Amarok Core -
Amarok PanAmericana
Braked towing capacity is up to 3500kg and there’s a 6500kg gross combined mass. Payload is up to 1200kg depending on model.
Wading depth has increased from 500 to 800mm and thanks to the now-shorter overhangs, the front angle of approach figure is now 29 degrees, the departure angle is 21 degrees, and the ramp angle is 21 degrees.
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