Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented the new Amarok. The on- and off-road all-rounder has been designed and conceived in Germany and Australia; it is being produced in South Africa. A premium pick-up for Australia and New Zealand, numerous countries of Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) sold over 830,000 units of the first-generation Amarok in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, North Asia and South and Central America. Now comes the second generation. Its well thought-out set of features, over 20 new driver assist systems, mobile online services, engines that are both efficient and high-torque, two all-wheel drive technologies, tailor-made accessories and clear Volkswagen design DNA make the new Amarok one of the most versatile and well-balanced pick-ups in the world. Slogan: ‘No matter what’. The premium pick-up will come onto the market in the first few countries from the end of the year.
The new Volkswagen Amarok is being launched with a four-door double cab (DoubleCab) and two-door single cab (SingleCab). In silhouette the wheel arches, which are half-round as before, are especially striking on both versions. In contrast to many other pick-ups the upper termination of the wheel arches forms a practically straight rather than a circular line – a typical Amarok design feature. The wings above the up to 21-inch alloy wheels have a powerful look and around the wheel arches are clad with robust plastic. The shape of the panels creates a look of the Amarok slightly flexing its muscles. The new pick-up is striking from the back too. Beneath the large VW symbol the word ‘Amarok’ is embossed across almost the entire width of the tailgate. The outer frame of the rear section is formed by the C-shaped tail lights, which reach far into the silhouette. On the PanAmericana and Aventura versions they too use LED technology.
But the Volkswagen design makes it immediately clear: this is an Amarok. It has become bigger, more powerful, more athletic and more charismatic. “For the new generation we have significantly modified the Amarok’s archetypal design. It is now unambiguously more expressive and even more impressive”, says Albert Kirzinger, Head of Design at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Making a statement in itself is the new front section of the pick-up, which is launching in the specification variants ‘Amarok’, ‘Life’ and ‘Style’, as well as the top versions ‘PanAmericana’ (off-road styling) and ‘Aventura’ (exclusive styling). Striking: the straight and very upright bonnet with unambiguous Volkswagen DNA. The same applies to the bars running horizontally across the radiator grille with the concisely integrated LED headlights, which come as standard on all versions. On the Amarok PanAmericana, Aventura and Style the headlights used will be ‘IQ.Light – LED matrix headlights’ which interactively light up the road as bright as day and have an unmistakable light design. Below the transverse bars, the radiator grille unit merges depending on version into a further horizontal level of the front section or – in the case of the PanAmericana and Aventura – into an X-shaped design. Embossed above the number plate holder is the word ‘Amarok’.
With its self-explanatory and digital displays, the interior has been configured by the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles design team in a very functional and high-quality way. The spectrum of display units is made up of digital 8.0-inch instruments (‘Digital Cockpit’, fully digital and 12.0-inch in size on the Style and above) and a highly modern touchscreen in tablet format (10.0-inch in size; on the Style and above 12.0-inch as standard) for the infotainment system. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has implemented a mix of digital functions and ergonomically configured buttons and/or push/rotary switches in the Volkswagen Amarok that are intuitive to use. The infotainment system’s volume and all-wheel drive system’s settings are, for instance, controlled via such hard keys. Dependent on specification, these both robust and premium-looking features are framed in aluminium. Further features such as the sound system from Harman Kardon – as standard in the Amarok PanAmericana and Ventura and available as an option for other specification lines – fit well into this scene of high-quality detail. It is a system being used exclusively in the Amarok. The rear of the DoubleCab also offers plenty of space and comfort for three adult passengers to enjoy the journey. The seats of the Style version have ArtVelours covers as standard, while in the Amarok PanAmericana and Aventura Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles uses high-quality leather.
The Volkswagen’s design makes it immediately clear: this is an Amarok. And yet every millimetre of the pick-up has been rethought, redefined and redesigned. The dimensions alone already show that the all-rounder has been significantly further developed: at 5,350, the new Amarok is 96 mm longer than the predecessor model. A wheelbase of 3,270 mm also equates to an increase of 173 mm. That provides more space. As the new Amarok’s wheelbase has grown more than the pick-up’s total length, the body overhangs are now shorter. The new model is 1,910 mm wide, including wing mirrors it’s 2,204 mm. Compared to the predecessor generation the usable body width has increased. Dependent on wheel/tyre combination, the Amarok’s height is up to 1,888 mm. Off-road capability has also been improved. The fording depth for driving through water, for example, has increased from 500 to 800 mm. Thanks to the now shorter bodywork overhangs, the off-road qualities have also been improved by optimised approach angles: for the front angle of approach the figure is 29 degrees and for the back 21 degrees. The ramp angle between the axles is also exactly 21 degrees.
The Amarok will launch, varying by market, with four efficient turbo diesel engines (TDI) and one turbocharged petrol engine (TSI). In numerous countries – for example, the European markets – all versions will be shipped as standard combined with all-wheel drive (4MOTION). The spectrum of diesel engines begins with three four-cylinder engines, in each case with 2.0 litres of cubic capacity. The base version specially developed for various African markets builds up 110 kW (150 PS) of power output and maximum torque of 350 Nm. This engine version is equipped with a manual 5-speed gearbox and rear-wheel drive. Following one level up comes a 125 kW (170 PS) TDI with maximum torque of 405 Nm, selectable all-wheel drive and manual 6-speed gearbox. In numerous countries this engine will be available, dependent on market and model specification, with pure rear-wheel drive and likewise selectable all- wheel drive as well. In some markets Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also offer the Amarok with a petrol engine. This will be a turbocharged, 2.3-litre four- cylinder engine, providing power output of 222 kW (302 PS). 452 Nm is the maximum torque. The turbocharged petrol engine will likewise be shipped with 10-speed automatic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive. Like the predecessor model, all versions of the Amarok have an 80-litre fuel tank. The possible range figures will be correspondingly high, dependent, of course, on load and trailer load. The capacity of the TDI models’ AdBlue tank has gone up by 6.3 to 19.3 litres, an increase of almost 50 per cent.
The most powerful four-cylinder TDI has a bi-turbocharger and – in markets such as Europe – puts top power output of 150 kW (204 PS) and supreme maximum torque of 500 Nm at the driver’s disposal. In many countries this engine will launch in this power output class with permanent all-wheel drive (4MOTION) and 6- or 10-speed automatic transmission; in each case power is distributed between front and rear axle via an additional electromechanical transfer box. In other countries this TDI will be available as a 154-kW version (209 PS) in combination with selectable all-wheel drive and 10-speed automatic transmission. As outlined above, the 125 and 150 kW TDI engines relay their power as standard to a 6-speed manual gearbox. As an option, it will also be possible to order the 150-kW TDI with the newly developed (by-wire) e-shifter 10- speed automatic transmission (154-kW version will come with 10-speed automatic transmission as standard). The engine used as the top TDI is a 3.0-litre V6; the six-cylinder engine develops, for example in Europe, power output of 177 kW (241 PS). In some markets different emissions stipulations result in a power output of 184 kW (250 PS). At both power output levels the maximum torque of 600 Nm is always transferred by the six-cylinder engine to a standard-specification 10- speed automatic gearbox. The gearbox is coupled to permanent 4MOTION all-wheel drive.
