First this local tuner created the “Texas Walker” package for the Ford Ranger. And now it has revealed the “Mission Impossible” upgrade for the Volkswagen Amarok.
Yes, cringeworthy naming strategy aside, Steve’s Auto Clinic seems to be on a mission to provide the country’s bakkies with added oomph. So, if you can’t quite wait until the second half of 2017 for the V6 version (with all 165 kW and 550 N.m) of the facelifted Amarok to arrive, the local tuner believes it has the answer.
Exactly how much does the 2,0-litre turbo-diesel mill in the Amarok gain via this upgrade? Well, power and torque are up from the standard 132 kW and 420 N.m respectively to 170 kW and 515 N.m.
The tuner says the upgrade – which uses a Plug & Play chip – frees up “any latent power in the engine, without damaging reliability”. Interestingly, Steve’s Auto Clinic says it programmes several different maps into the system to allow the driver to select different power delivery options.
The maps include a security option, which renders the engine completely powerless. When selecting this mode, the driver can remove the in-cabin map selector and anyone trying to steal the vehicle will be incapable of driving off in it.
Other maps include a “4×4 and Caravan” mode, which gives the Amarok maximum low-down torque for towing or technical off-road work. There is also a fuel consumption option, which the tuner says remaps the engine power to deliver the best possible fuel consumption.
Two extra maps are also available on the “Mission Impossible” upgrade. One preserves the standard specifications of the production model, while the “Max Power and Throttle Boost” setting unleashes all extra power from the Amarok’s engine.
A new 76 mm performance exhaust system developed for the Amarok is also optionally available.
No word yet on pricing…
