VOLKSWAGEN and Australian go-fast workshop Walkinshaw Efficiency are set to start out recent with a brand new tackle the new-generation Amarok ute.
The 2023 VW Amarok vary has simply launched with 5 variants, together with two variations that might primarily be seen as like-for-like replacements of the present road-focused W580S (Amarok Aventura) and the W580X off-road hero mannequin (Amarok Panamericana).
The Aventura is obtainable with the selection of the Ford Mustang-derived 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine (222kW/452Nm) and can also be out there with the Ford-sourced 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 (184kW/600Nm), which is customary within the rugged Panamericana mannequin.
Nonetheless, regardless of these two fashions providing loads of efficiency for his or her respective fields, Volkswagen Australia’s business autos director, Ryan Davies, advised GoAuto that there’s room for extra efficiency within the VW ute vary.
“We’ve confirmed that we wish to go down the performance-oriented on-road path, with W580S,” he stated.
“That leaned into the traits of what the present Amarok was, and likewise leveraged the experience of Walkinshaw, and we expect there’s nonetheless room to do this with this new automobile, above and past what we’ve already acquired.
“We’ve finished some preliminary considering with Walkinshaw, and we haven’t signed off on a program but, however… (clients ought to anticipate one thing in) about two-and-a-half to a few years. Each events are eager to go once more, so to talk.
“We wish to go larger and higher, realistically that will be splendid. We’ve acquired a few totally different choices to have the ability to do this. However the choices of getting an off-road, extra hardcore off-road mannequin, can also be there.
“And whether or not we do a camper model as properly, that’s one other chance. We simply need to deal with them one after the other,” he added.
Whereas Mr Davies wouldn’t expose an excessive amount of in the best way of particulars in regards to the new sizzling ute fashions, he did point out that nothing is off the desk when it comes to powertrain choices – be it petrol or diesel.
“We haven’t actually pinned ourselves to 1 or the opposite, but we’d wish to see what we will get out of each,” he stated.
The subject of a camper-spec model is smart for the VW business autos line-up, since that a part of the German model manages the adventure-focused derivatives such because the Caddy Seaside, California camper, and Crafter camper.
Mr Davies indicated that, whereas the model will provide an unprecedented array of off-road accent objects for the new-generation Amarok, it’s arduous to supply the suitable car for everybody’s wants as a standalone possibility.
“The off-road sector is an fascinating one – folks’s pursuits are so bespoke, you may not hit the mark. It’s a bit riskier than doing what we did with 580S, as a result of folks need various things,” he stated.
A number of the objects set to be supplied by VW for the second-gen Amarok embody a roof-top tent, cover choices, roof bars and platforms, totally different tray protecting choices and tub liners, a cargo slider, auxiliary battery equipment, snorkel, carry equipment, wheel and tyre packages and extra.
“The good thing about having Volkswagen’s real equipment is that from a finance perspective you possibly can load that into the value of the automobile and they’re thought of like an possibility, so that you don’t have, let’s say, a $70,000 automobile and $20,000 value of choices you possibly can’t finance. So we’re in a position to deal with that otherwise,” Mr Davies advised GoAuto.
Volkswagen Australia nationwide supervisor for advertising and marketing and product, Nathan Johnson, stated there was a whole lot of enter from the model’s Australian design staff when the brand new Amarok was being developed alongside Ford as a part of the collaboration between the 2 corporations.
“There was an enormous focus placed on this, there have been a whole lot of robust conferences about what’s to be included and what’s not,” he stated.
“However we’re glad that from launch, we’ll have an extended checklist that meets the Australian necessities from an on-road driving efficiency perspective, a styling perspective, but additionally to take the car to the following stage with off-road parts like lift-kits and so forth.
“As time progresses, we can be introducing increasingly more to our real accent program, which is able to actually assist elevate the entire dealership expertise for our clients but additionally for our sellers as properly and provides them extra confidence after they’re promoting these automobiles as properly.”
The mechanically associated Ford Ranger presents an analogous spectrum of accent objects, and aftermarket accent producers are already at work to supply options for choosy purchasers.
Volkswagen is about to conduct a second launch occasion for the entry-level Amarok Core and Life fashions, the place it would showcase a number of the aforementioned accent objects to media and sellers.
