Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has pulled the covers off its new second-generation Amarok pick-up.
The new model was developed alongside the Ford Ranger, as part of a wider commercial vehicle collaboration agreement between Ford and VW.
With a longer wheelbase than its predecessor, the new Amarok offers more passenger space than before and, by pushing the wheels further apart and shrinking overhang, off-road capability is also improved.
Four-door Double Cab and two-door Single Cab variants will be offered, when the vehicle goes on sale at the end of the year.
As before, buyers can specify a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine alongside a four-cylinder TDI unit. A 2.3-litre petrol engine will also be available.
Ford’s 10-speed automatic gearbox will be paired with the more potent powertrains, while a six-speed automatic and a manual option will also be offered on base models.
Inside, the Amarok take a step upmarket and uses premium materials to separate itself from the Ford Ranger. The dashboard is dominated by a large touchscreen, powered by Ford technology but adapted with VW-specific graphics. Base models will use a 10-inch screen, while a 12-inch versions will be fitted to higher grade versions.
The cargo box of the Single Cab Amarok is 2,305 mm long and 1,224 mm wide; it provides space for two Euro pallets loaded in sideways one behind the other.
Double Cab models have a load space measuring 1,544 mm long and 1,224 mm wide. The maximum width between the wheel arches is 1,206 mm, measing a Euro pallet (1,200 x 800 mm) can fits on the cargo bed sideways. The space height is 529 mm in all versions.
Depending on specification, the Amarok has a maximum payload of up to 1.16 tonnes.
The new Amarok will come onto the market in five specification variants. The entry-level version is the ‘Amarok’. It is followed by the ‘Life’ and ‘Style’. Launching as equal top versions will be the PanAmericana, with accentuated off-road character, and the on-road focused Aventura.
More than 30 driver assist systems, of which more than 20 are new, will be available. These include interactive IQ Light LED matrix headlights, ACC Adaptive Cruise Control, Traffic Jam Assist and the Front Assist area monitoring system.
Pricing and further UK specific specifications will be confirmed closed to the Amarok’s launch at the end of the year.