A Volkswagen executive in Australia has denied rumours that the Wolfsburg-based brand’s recent Amarok V6 expansion will lead to the death of four-cylinder models in its double-cab bakkie line-up.
VW recently announced a new, high-output version of its V6-powered Amarok, giving the pick-up a whopping 190 kW and 580 N.m (and putting the upcoming Mercedes-Benz X350d squarely in its sights). This model, Volkswagen South Africa told us earlier in April, is scheduled hit local shores at some point in 2019.
The addition of a flagship 190 kW version of the six-cylinder turbodiesel to a V6 line-up that in some markets already includes outputs of 120 kW, 150 kW and 165 kW (VW SA earlier in 2018 told us that it “notes demand” for additional versions of its V6-powered Amarok), has led to speculation that VW will soon kill off its 2,0-litre four-cylinder variants.
But Paul Pottinger, VW Australia’s corporate communications manager, insists this simply isn’t the case.
“I have heard that story, but I just can’t see that it makes any sense,” Pottinger said, according to motoring.com.au.
“There will be greater availability of V6, but I can’t see four-cylinder being supplanted. The four-cylinder will remain online,” he added.
In South Africa, four-cylinder derivatives make up the bulk of the Amarok range, with the 2,0-litre oil-burner offered in TDI form with 103 kW and BiTDI guise with 132 kW.
