New Volkswagen Amarok makes world debut

After a lengthy and elaborate teaser campaign, the second-generation 2023 Volkswagen Amarok has finally been revealed in all its German glory, debuting a fresh new look, all-new underpinnings and powertrains, more technology and safety than ever before.

Replacing a model that's found more than 830,000 buyers globally since 2010, the new Amarok was developed in Australia and Europe alongside the new locally-engineered 2022 Ford Ranger over four years.

Rather than Argentina, it will be produced exclusively in South Africa – and Australia will be its first and biggest export market.

Expectations of success are so high, in fact, that the new-generation Amarok is forecast to be Volkswagen Group Australia's best-seller when it arrives here in February 2023, so it’s anticipated to be more popular than even the Volkswagen Golf, T-Cross and Tiguan, and all Skoda models.

Australian pricing and specification details are yet to be confirmed, however, the local Amarok range will initially comprise only dual-cab 4x4 pick-up variants, which will go head to head with premium versions of the Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi Triton, Isuzu D-MAX, Mazda BT-50 and Nissan Navara in Australia's biggest new-vehicle market segment.

The single-cab is yet to be confirmed for Australia, where the two-door Amarok was axed in 2016, but will increase its payload capacity to 1.16 tonnes (and swallow up to two European pallets) and towing capacity for both body styles will remain as much as 3500kg.

At least overseas, the new Volkswagen ute will be available in 'Amarok', Life, Style, PanAmericana and Aventura trim levels, and with wheel sizes up to 21-inch.

Base models will score the new Ranger’s 10.1-inch portrait-style infotainment touch-screen (increasing to 12.0-inch in premium versions) and all models will also offer a digital instrument cluster – either 8.0-inch or 10-inch.

Also as per Ranger, the new Amarok will be produced with a total of five Ford-sourced engines, including a 2.0-litre single- and twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder (110kW and 154kW), a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel (177kW and 184kW) and a 222kW 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder that won’t be available here, where high-output versions of the both diesel engines will likely be standard.

All of the 150kW-plus engines are matched to Ford's 10-speed automatic transmission and boast four-wheel drive full-time four-wheel-drive while the lesser mills are paired to either a five/six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic and send drive to the rear wheels or all four via a selectable 4x4 system.

Other new hardware will include and electric park brake and rear roller cover, plus a host of genuine accessories.

So while the local details remain up in the air, let’s delve into the global specs and see what the new Amarok has in store for us.

Shared platform

Previously described by local Volkswagen executives as a match made in heaven, the new Amarok is underpinned by Ford’s locally-developed third-generation T6 ladder-frame architecture, supported by double-wishbone suspension up front and a beam-axle leaf-sprung set-up at the rear.

Volkswagen says that leaf-sprung rear will support a payload of up to 1160kg, marginally besting the Ranger’s maximum figure of 1151kg, however, it isn’t clear which variant will be capable of this – although the 3500kg braked towing capacity is maintained.

Regardless, the two models share an identical 3270mm wheelbase – 175mm longer than the old Amarok – and rough overall length, with the Volkswagen measuring a subtle 20mm shorter than the Ranger on overall length (5350mm vs 5370mm).

The result of the elongated wheelbase is shorter front and rear overhangs, which inevitably helps improve the approach and departure angles off-road.

Sticking with the off-road theme, the Amarok also inherits the Ranger’s class-leading 800mm wading depth as well as the full-time four-wheel drive system of V6 models.

Much of the chassis development work was carried out right here in Australia with around 20 Volkswagen designers and engineers working side-by-side with Ford over the past two years to ensure the finished product is “the best of both worlds”.

Return of the V6

One of the key drawcards of the first-gen Volkswagen Amarok was its 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, which in its most potent form could churn out a class-leading 200kW/580Nm on overboost.

This mill was such a hit that up to 85 per cent of Australian Amarok sales were V6s, so it should come as no surprise to hear the second-generation is also powered by a grunty turbo-diesel V6 – but this time it comes from Ford.

Once again displacing three litres, the new donk has been lifted straight out of the new Ford Ranger, meaning peak power has slipped a bit to 184kW, however, maximum torque rises to a class-leading 600Nm, as per Ranger V6.

Whereas the old Amarok made use of an eight-speed automatic transmission – and no low-range transfer case – the new one will inherit Ford’s updated 10-speed unit which will also be paired to the smaller 2.0-litre biturbo-diesel powertrain.

As with the V6 diesel, we expect Australian Amaroks to be fitted only with the high-output version of the biturbo four, so expect the same 154kW/500Nm as per Ranger.

The domineering component of the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok’s cabin is without doubt the huge 12-inch vertical infotainment interface, nestled into a more elegantly shaped dashboard that gently sweeps upwards to cover the digital instrument cluster.

A smaller 10.1-inch unit will be fitted to the lower grades as per the Ranger, but the Ford’s chunky and more utilitarian-friendly switchgear has been swapped out for an elegant (there’s a trend emerging here) and classier toggle arrangement.

The air vents and other parts of the interior trim/dashboard design have been tweaked too, in an effort to help distinguish the new-gen Volkswagen from its Ranger sibling.

That huge screen is complemented by either an 8.0 or 12.0-inch (not 12.4-inch as per Ranger, apparently) digital instrument cluster (depending on the variant) while the infotainment system will be run by Ford’s latest SYNC4 operating system.

These new-age technologies will be matched by an unprecedented number of driver aids for a Volkswagen ute, with 20 of a promised 20 such systems being new to the Amarok, including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping and second-row side airbags.

Stand by for more news as we dig it up.

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