While the bakkie fans amongst us wait patiently for the all-new Amarok to be officially unveiled, the final stages of development of the second-generation of the smash-hit commercial/lifestyle vehicle are now well underway. Touted to be ten centimetres longer and more than four centimetres wider than the outgoing model, VW has promised a vehicle that sees vast improvement in all aspects, from off- and on-road capability to interior specification and efficiency.
Almost a year ago, we were treated to a design sketch of the all-new Volkswagen Amarok, and now we’ve been given a new glimpse at the iconic bakkie with another design sketch, teasing a bit of the vehicle’s interior, too.
Head of design at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Albert-Johann Kirzinger, explains, “The new Amarok from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles impresses through its tough, honest design.
“You can see that in the interior of the pick-up too. The uncluttered, masculine architecture, the elements designed in a machine-like fashion, the clear, taut surfaces and a particularly high-quality cockpit raise the Volkswagen DNA to a new level and emphasise the Amarok’s right to claim premium vehicle status.”
Volkswagen promises that the vehicle will feature more in the way of driver assist systems and connectivity with features that have “not been seen before in this segment.”
Powertrain options will vary depending on market, with efficient TDI diesels featuring as before, as well as a powerful V6 TDI and in some cases, a petrol motor, too. Having been in production since 2010, over 815 000 Amaroks have been sold globally. Development of the new vehicle has been undertaken by teams in both Australia and Europe with production set to take place in Silverton alongside the all-new Ford Ranger with which the all-new Amarok will share many components.
It would seem as though while there has been a technical partnership between Ford and Volkswagen on the latest version of their best-selling bakkies, the models will still retain their own personalities and fill their respective positions in the market in their own way. While they may have very similar uses and carry out the same tasks with equal aplomb, there’s a good chance that brand loyalists will stick to what they know while enjoying the likely benefits from the cost sharing of vehicle development that has gone into the new Ranger and Amarok models.
Along with this latest sketch that has been released, an end-of-2022 order date has been mentioned.
