Volkswagen will be bringing the new generation of its Amarok to customers at the end of the year. The 5.35 meter long pickup is a technical twin of the Ford Ranger and is also manufactured in South Africa. Initially, only combustion engines will come, but an electric version is also planned.
Visually, it cannot be seen that the VW Amarok is a twin model of the Ford Ranger, which will also only be available on international markets in the coming weeks. The new generation of the VW Amarok will start at the end of the year, comes from South Africa and is produced there in the same plant as the Ford Ranger. “Of course, without a cooperation partner there would not have been a new edition of the Amarok,” says Lars Krause, Sales Director at VW Commercial Vehicles, “Of course it made us a little proud that our previous Amarok set the benchmark for the new model for our colleagues at Ford of the Ranger.” The new Amarok is available with a four-door crew cab and a two-door single cab
“We want to appeal to tradespeople and private customers alike,” says Lars Krause, distinguishing himself from many of his colleagues in the industry who see their hybrid of off-road vehicle and transporter with an open loading area primarily as a tool for gardeners and landscapers or construction companies. Most of the testing of the new VW Amarok takes place in South Africa, because the vehicle is not only manufactured here, but was also largely developed here. “The common parts of the two vehicles are manageable. With the Ford Ranger, we only share the mirror, roof and rear window – the rest is completely independent and comes from our design team,” explains Lars Krause. “The striking front end and, above all, the memorable X design make the new Amarok stand out and emphasize its claim to leadership,” explains VW Commercial Vehicles chief designer Albert-Johann Kirzinger. “We have given the strength and power of the new Amarok a clear expression – with clear Volkswagen DNA, inside and out.”
For the new Amarok, four turbo diesel engines and one turbo petrol engine were taken from the Ford group shelf. The 150 hp basic diesel with a displacement of two liters and four cylinders is offered on the African market. A more powerful common rail diesel with 125 kW / 170 hp will follow for many markets around the world. In the third power level, the cylinder quartet delivers 150 kW / 204 hp or 154 kW / 209 hp, depending on the market. However, many customers are likely to opt for the top version, a three-liter V6 diesel with 184 kW / 250 hp. For the classic petrol markets, Ford supplies its 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbo with 222 kW / 302 hp, which, among other things, also fires the Mustang in its basic version. From an output of 154 kW / 209 hp, all Amarok versions come onto the market with a new ten-speed automatic transmission as standard, which is offered as an option for the weaker versions. Most engine variants are obligatorily coupled to an all-wheel drive. In the next few years, the Amarok will also follow as an electric version.
Even the front of the 5.35 meter long pick-up with LED eyes and a large radiator grill makes an impression. Compared to its predecessor, the 1.91 meter long off-roader is ten centimeters longer, but with a height of 1.88 meters it is still suitable for parking garages. The wheelbase grew by 17.5 centimeters to 3.27 meters. The towing capacity is 3.5 tons and there is space for a Euro pallet on the rear, which can weigh up to 1.2 tons. Meanwhile, the lashing eyes on the loading area handle 500 kg and the roof load with a generous 350 kg is also suitable for a roof tent with occupancy. As rustic as the new VW Amarok looks from the outside, it is just as comfortable inside. Comfortable seats, plenty of space for up to five people, digital displays and, if desired, thunderous sound from the Harman Kardon sound system – this is what a workhorse from the 2023 model year with lifestyle ambitions looks like, available in the versions Amarok, Life, Style, Panamericana , Aventura is offered. Also available as an option: electric seats for the driver and front passenger.
