New Volkswagen Amarok could take on a Californian vibe – literally

The possibility of extending the adventure-focused California sub-branding to the second-generation Volkswagen Amarok is being explored by the German auto brand.

In 2020, Volkswagen began offering California-badged models that have included the Caddy and larger Transporter vans.

As well as the obligatory branding – which in some instances includes unique colour combinations – each California model includes a bed, camp chairs, additional storage and various other camping extras.

The much-loved California models are less about moving big tribes and more about exploring the outdoors, and now that same thinking looks set to be applied to the Amarok, which will be officially released next week.

“We are already developing the brand California and want to establish it in every car and the whole ecosystem, so we are working on that,” the head of design for Volkswagen commercial vehicles, Albert-Johann Kirzinger, told carsales at the Australian launch of the new Amarok last week.

“Look at the rest of our range. We’ve got [California] in Caddy Beach, we’ve got it in [Transporter] T6.1 California, we’ve got it in Crafter Campervan. The only place it’s really missing is Amarok, so we’ve got to kind of fix that.”

It’s unclear exactly what an Amarok California could look like, although Volkswagen has a vast array of accessories it can package up into a camping-focused dual-cab adventure machine.

They include load options such as roof bars, power and lighting systems, raised suspension, additional underbody protection and even a roof-top tent.

Speaking about the accessories that will be offered locally with the new Amarok, Volkswagen Australia commercial vehicles director Ryan Davies was enthusiastic about the opportunity for a variant aimed at the off-road touring market.

“We’ll be able to put dual batteries in the car, a fridge in the back, sliding drawers, a canopy, [suspension] lift kit, underbody protection, roof bars and a roof-top tent and have the full, complete camping-ready Amarok,” he says.

Davies said he was unaware that head office was already pondering an Amarok California, but agreed a highly accessorised version of the new dual-cab made sense.

“We can and we might [do it],” he said.

The Amarok California would add to the broad range of variants that includes the work-focused Amarok Core, the better-equipped Amarok Life and the volume-selling Style that is marketed as the “elegant street cruiser”. Then there are the two flagships: the off-road focused PanAmericana and more street-slick Aventura.

Volkswagen is also hoping to continue its relationship with the Walkinshaw Group, which previously created the popular W580S road and W580X off-road variants of the original Amarok.

Stay tuned for our first drive review of the new Volkswagen Amarok at 7:00pm next Thursday (May 11).

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