Volkswagen of America’s CEO has suggested the successor to the Amarok – which will be based on the next-generation Ford Ranger platform – is unlikely to be offered in the United States.
In March 2019, VW confirmed it had signed a contract with Ford for the Blue Oval brand to develop and build a follow-up to the Amarok bakkie under a broader global alliance announced in January.
Speaking to Motor1.com at the 2019 New York International Auto Show, Scott Keogh said “there’s no reason” to offer VW’s version of the Ranger in North America.
“If in this market there’s a Ranger Ranger and [a] VW Ranger, there’s no reason for that. You have to have a different point of view and a differentiation,” Keogh said, adding it was not the Wolfsburg-based firm’s style to partake in badge engineering.
Keogh went on to suggest a production version of the MQB-based double-cab Tarok concept – on display at the New York show to “gauge market reaction” – would likely be a better bet for the States.
“I think there’s an opportunity and I think [Volkswagen] can come in with an extremely smart price point,” he said. “I think you could put a vehicle like that in the marketplace in the mid-$20 000 [that’s around R280 000, in SA money), with proper engine, proper everything.”
“We’d be capable of putting a whole assortment of engines into [an MQB-based bakkie]. We could get upwards of 250 or 300 horsepower [183 kW or 220 kW] if we wanted to do it.”
