Volkswagen runs Amarok

Volkswagen's Amarok one-tonne light commercial ute will be the official support vehicle for the 2010 Dakar rally starting in Buenos Aires in January next year.

Billed as the world's toughest rally, the Dakar rally follows a torturous 9000km route through Argentina and Chile for a little more than two weeks, finishing where it started, in Buenos Aires.

The VW effort will comprise 35 Amaroks, 20 as support vehicles and 15 as "press and shuttle vehicles".

The Dakar event will be the Volkswagen one-tonne ute's first public appearance.

Volkswagen says four of the Amaroks will get additional off-road conversions for the event. Four Volkswagen Panamerica multivans will also be employed.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a partner to the Dakar organiser, the Amaury Sport Organisation.

"The Volkswagen Amarok is Volkswagen's answer to the pickup and on the Dakar Rally -- one of the last great adventures for mankind -- it will have the chance to show what it's made of and to demonstrate its flexibility and durability", said Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Five teams from Volkswagen Motorsport will also be in the event, as competitors.

The company hopes to repeat its one-two winning performance in last year's event with specially prepared, diesel-engined Touareg SUVs.

The Amarok fits into the mould formed by Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and Toyota HiLux and will come to Australia during 2010 following its launch in South American, then European markets.

Diesel or petrol power is available, and it will initially be available in just dual-cab configuration. Details of Australian Amarok models have yet to be confirmed.