The on- and off-road all-rounder has been designed and conceived in Germany and Australia; it is being produced in South Africa.
The pick-up will also go on sale in Australia and New Zealand, numerous countries of Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
It will come onto the market in the first few countries from the end of the year.
It is based on Ford's T6 platform that is the basis for the current Ranger.
But it strikes out with its own visual identity and boasts over 20 new driver assist systems, mobile online services, engines that are both efficient and high-torque, two all-wheel drive technologies and tailor-made accessories.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said the latest Amarok is 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).
The new Amarok has straight and very upright bonnet with Volkswagen DNA. The same applies to the bars running horizontally across the radiator grille with the 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.
The new 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.
At 5,350mm, the new Amarok is 96mm longer than its predecessor. A wheelbase of 3,270 mm represents an increase of 173 mm. That provides more room, especially on the double cab’s second row of seats. The wheelbase has thus grown much more than the total length. And that shortens the body overhangs.
The result: sharper proportions and improved off-road capability thanks to better approach angles. The off-road capabilities of the Amarok, which will have all-wheel drive as standard in many markets, are also enhanced by much greater fording depth for driving through watery terrain. Previously it was 500mm, now it’s 800mm.
The cabin has been set up to be functional and high-quality. The spectrum of display units is made up of digital 8.0-inch instruments (‘Digital Cockpit’, fully digital and 12.0-inch in
Nsize on the Style and above) and a 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 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.
The sound system comes from Harman Kardon – as standard in the Amarok PanAmericana and Ventura and available as an option for other specification lines.
Included as standard in the Amarok PanAmericana and Aventura is a leather-look instrument panel with elegant contrast stitching. The vehicle’s premium positioning is also matched by the new seating: the Amarok’s driver and front-seat passenger sit on ergonomically designed seats, which in the higher specifications can be electrically adjusted into multiple positions.
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.
As was the case on the predecessor model, the cargo bed between the wheel arches has enough room for a Euro pallet loaded in sideways. The single cab version can even take two pallets loaded in sideways. The load is strapped down via eye rings on the cargo bed, which can each take a load of up to 500kg.
In line with this high load capability, the maximum payload has gone up from a good tonne to now 1.16 tonnes. The cargo box can also be secured using an electrically operated roll cover. This roll cover can be opened and closed from the cargo box itself, from inside the vehicle or by remote control via the vehicle key.
An interesting fact for globetrotters is that the static roof load capacity is 350 kg – sufficient, for instance, for a four-person roof tent that will be available as an accessory.
Either ex-factory or in the range of accessories, there will also be features such as alloy wheels up to 21-inch in size, all- terrain tyres (up to 18-inch) and a diverse array of trailer mounts.
Further features available for the cargo box will include a bike holder, a multifunction carrier system, a manual version of the roll cover and a diverse range of styling bars.
There will once again be a hardtop for the cargo bed, with which the pick-up effectively transforms itself into an SUV with the load capacity of a van.
The off-road qualities, meanwhile, can be further optimised by a bull bar, underbody protection elements, all-terrain running gear, eye rings for hauling, and a snorkel attached on the outside to the left-side A-pillar for supplying the engine with fresh air when driving through water.
Five turbocharged engines are offered and are individually tailored to the world’s markets
Four turbo diesel (TDI) engines and one turbocharged petrol (TSI) engine have been developed for the new Amarok. Qualities common to all five engines are efficiency and high levels of torque.
On the African market, for instance, it is the base specification engine that is being used: a four- cylinder, 2.0-litre TDI delivering 110 kW (150 PS).
In terms of power output the next engine for many markets of the world is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI delivering 125 kW (170 PS).
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also be offering a four-cylinder TDI engine with 2.0 litres of cubic capacity and bi-turbocharging; it develops 150 kW (204 PS) or 154 kW (209 PS) dependent on the market.
The engine used as the new top TDI is a 3.0- litre V6. It provides power output of 177 kW (241 PS) or 184 kW (250 PS) dependent on the market.
A 222 kW (302 PS) 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine has also been designed specifically for the traditional petrol engine markets.
Standard across most variants is a new 10-speed automatic gearbox served via a (by wire) e-shifter. For the 150-kW version this automatic transmission will be available as an option. The new 10-speed gearbox replaces the 8-speed automatic transmission of the predecessor model. In addition, there will be 6-speed automatic transmission and manual 6- or 5-speed gearboxes for various engines.
In many markets the Amarok is being supplied with all-wheel drive (4MOTION) as standard. Depending on region and engine there will be two different 4MOTION systems here: one with selectable all-wheel drive based on the given situation, and one with permanent all-wheel drive.
The drive system technology ensures that the new Amarok too is able to master any terrain and depending on engine version is permitted to tow up to 3.5 tonnes.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles had sold over 830,000 units of the first-generation Amarok in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, North Asia and South and Central America.
