Volkswagen South Africa ‘gauging interest’ in Amarok XL…

By: CAR magazine

Volkswagen South Africa displayed a model called the Amarok XL at the 2019 Nampo agricultural trade show in Bothaville, saying it was “gauging” local interest in the model.

The special Amarok on VW’s stand in the Free State town featured a 310 mm extension (to its body and wheelbase), which the local arm of the German firm says allows the double-cab bakkie to “comfortably fit two Euro pallets along the load bin and between the wheel arches”.

According to the automaker, the long-wheelbase model boasts an increase in its loading surface area from the standard 2,5 m2 to around 3,03 m2, with the load-bin dimensions coming in at 1 865 mm long, 1 620 mm wide and 508 mm deep.

VW SA has since told CARmag.co.za the Amarok XL – which is a conversion rather than a factory-built model – has not been confirmed for introduction … yet.

“At the moment, we are really just gauging interest in this car and there are no confirmed plans to introduce it,” a spokesperson told us.

The 310 mm conversion takes the Amarok’s length to a whopping 5 564 mm. VW SA said on Facebook it expected the conversion “to cost an additional amount of approximately R40 000”.

Interestingly, the example shown at Nampo featured the firm’s 3,0-litre V6 turbodiesel, here worth 165 kW and 550 N.m.

Pictured below is the Amarok XL offered by Veth Automotive, a Dutch company specialising in bakkie extensions (although we understand a local company will be used if VW SA decides to offer the Amarok XL).

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