Volkswagen’s first foray into the mid-range bakkie (pickup) segment is now official. The new Amarok is the first one-tonne bakkie to be developed in Germany and will be produced at the company’s “Pacheco” plant in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
At launch only the double-cab version will be available. The single-cab is to be launched during the first half of 2011.
You can see the family resemblance with VW’s new face on the front grille, those straight lines, the louvers on the radiator grille and some curves on the sides.
Two engines were announced. One is a 2.0 TDI common-rail injection, bi-turbo motor making 120kW and a useful 400Nm at 1500rpm. Lower than that is another four-cylinder TDI with slightly less power at 90kW and 340Nm at 2000rpm. Driving the two is a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Some models will feature the company’s 4MOTION AWD system. Baseline models will pull through a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) system. The vehicles will come in three specifications, depending on the market. Features include a radio/ CD player combination, multi-function display, automatic climate control, colour-coded bumpers, and wide fender skirts.
The Amarok’s safety features include standard ABS brakes, an optional ESP system and Hill Descent Assist which “keeps driving speed constant by selective braking interventions, enabling safe and controlled hill descents”.
Volkswagen South Africa has already confirmed the arrival of the Amarok on our shores in the third quarter of 2010. That’s when it starts playing in a hotly contested bakkie market driven by the likes of Toyota Hilux, Isuzu KB, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT50, Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan NP300.
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