New Volkswagen Amarok to miss out on factory bull bar

The new Volkswagen Amarok ute launching in April 2023 in Australia will feature a wider range of factory-warrantied accessories, but a bull bar will be missing from the inventory.

Instead, 2023 Volkswagen Amarok buyers who want to fit a bull bar to provide added protection from errant animals during their country adventures will have to go to the aftermarket to make a purchase.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia says the cost of locally homologating a bull bar to fit as part of a new vehicle purchase is prohibitive.

It also argues the exterior design and premium positioning of the Amarok will make a bull bar less appealing to many of its owners.

The Amarok has been developed alongside the new Ford Ranger and the two models share many ladder-frame and powertrain fundamentals, although only a few exterior panels.

Ford has entered an extensive collaboration with ARB to develop Ranger accessories that are purchased at the dealership and fully warrantied, but Volkswagen has confirmed none of these items will be “cross-shared” to Amarok.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has instead elected to retain control of its accessories development.

“We will offer a full suite of accessories from launch,” confirmed Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia director Ryan Davies.

“We will develop accessories through our headquarters in Germany and they co-develop with suppliers – whether they be in Australia or overseas – and then we sell them through our parts department.

“The model that ARB and Ford have created, we are not doing that.”

Accessories that Davies said would be on the list for Amarok include canopies and roof bars. Roof-top tents and compressors will also be offered.

Australian ute buyers spend thousands of dollars on top of the purchase price accessorising their new vehicles, which is why Volkswagen is deepening its offering and keeping it in-house.

“It is huge and that’s why we want to have a little more involvement with it,” explained Davies.

“The amount of equipment people put in cars these days is crazy. It is a frightening amount of money that people spend after the purchase of the car.

“If we play our cards right we can be involved with that process and help our customers build their cars the way they want them.”

Australia is the Amarok’s biggest global market and the local division wants to grow beyond 10,000 sales per annum with the new model.

Upgraded safety equipment including a boosted airbag count will provide more potential for fleet sales, while at the top end of the line-up will be models locally developed with Walkinshaw Group.

A bull bar – including a hoopless bar – is in the too-hard basket because it would need approval from headquarters in Germany, need to be compatible with onboard safety and driver assist systems and meet the Australian Design Rule for frontal protection systems.

“Pure investment-wise it’s a challenge,” conceded Davies. “Realistically, what you have to do to put a bull bar on a car at first-stage compliance is massively different to what you have to do if you’re doing it after the car is registered.”

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia has already provided CAD data to some suppliers to develop bull bars for the aftermarket.

The argument about style and vehicle positioning boils down to VW’s belief that its exterior design is a more upmarket than Ranger.

The suggestion is the Ford has an audience that might find a bull bar more useful and more in keeping with Ranger’s looks and role.

“The only shared common parts on the exterior of the car are the turret, the glass and the door handles,” said Davies.

“I think the Ranger has its own style that takes inspiration from the F-150. We have our own styling that really evolves from what you have in the Volkswagen family.

“To my mind – and maybe I’m biased – the Volkswagen has much more premium look and feel in the way it presents. If you are into that F-150-style look you are going to be looking for something different.

“The Amarok does that.”

Added Volkswagen Group Australia spokesman Daniel DeGasperi: “The usage of an Amarok will be different to a Ranger and that’s completely okay.”

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au