The Volkswagen Amarok is a mid-size pickup truck produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2010. It is a body-on-frame truck with double-wishbone suspension at the front and leaf springs at the rear. The Amarok range consists of single cab and double cab, combined with either rear-wheel drive or 4motion four-wheel-drive, and is powered by turbocharged petrol or turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engines.
Amarok competes in some global markets with comparable mid-size pickup trucks, such as the Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Chevrolet/Holden Colorado/S-10. The second-generation Amarok is based on the Ford Ranger.
Between 2010 and 2022, 830,000 units of the first-generation Amarok have been sold.
The name Amarok, referencing a wolf deity in Inuit mythology, was chosen by brand marketing consultants Interbrand; Interbrand also claims the name is associated with the phrase "he loves stones" in Romanic languages in an attempt to allude to the all-terrain performance of the vehicle.
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First generation (2H; 2010) The Amarok, the first pickup from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, was presented to the general public in General Pacheco, Argentina, on 7 January 2010. The project dates back from 2005, when Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles announced their intent to build a robust pickup and off-road family of vehicles. It was teased as the Robust Pick-Up concept in September 2008, wrapped in a search and rescue (SAR) vehicle colour scheme; the design was said to be 95 percent resembling the production version.
Following the launch in Argentina, the Amarok was a key support vehicle in the 2010 Dakar Rally, with 45 having been used.
The Amarok is currently being produced in the Volkswagen Group plant in General Pacheco, Argentina; for South American, Mexican, Oceanian, South African, Russian, and European markets. It is expected to produce 90,000 Amaroks annually once production is at full capacity. As of 2022, 70% of the Argentine Amaroks are exported.
The Hanover site was originally dropped from possible sites to produce the Amarok due to the 2008 financial crisis and increasing economic costs in Europe in 2009. In September 2010, it was decided that 40,000 Amarok pickups will also be produced annually in Hanover, Germany for the European and small volume markets from mid-2012.
The 100,000th Amarok was produced on 8 October 2011.
In Argentina the first-generation Amarok is to be replaced by a model based on the Maxus Terron 9.
Powertrain The Amarok is powered by a range of turbocharged direct injection (TDI) common rail diesel engines, and fuel stratified injection (FSI) petrol engine.
As of 2010, the engine range consists of two 2.0L turbocharged direct injection (TDI) common rail diesel engines which is taken from the Volkswagen Transporter (T5), it has been tuned for more torque but less power; the entry-level version produces which develops a maximum torque of from 2,000 rpm. The top-of-the-line bi-turbo version produces which develops a maximum torque of from 1500 rpm −2500 rpm. Fuel consumption in a combined cycle format is as low as on the rear-wheel-drive variant to on the 4Motion version, which theoretically gives the Amarok a range before filling up for fuel.
As of the 2012 Model Year, Volkswagen has introduced two more engine configurations, 2.0L TDI 90 kW motor upgraded to 103 kW of power and a 2.0L Bi-TDI which has an optional 8-speed ZF engineered automatic transmission.
On 22 September 2014, Volkswagen launched a limited edition Amarok Dark Label model. The Dark Label model is fitted with the 2.0-litre BiTDI engine, generating up to of torque and offering a maximum towing capacity of up to .
For the 2017 model year, Volkswagen announced a facelifted Amarok range. The key feature of the facelift is a new engine that replaces the earlier models' 2.0L TDI engine. In place of the previous four-cylinder engine, the Amarok is now fitted with a version of VW's 3.0L TDI V6. It will be available in three states of tune (, , and ), with the most powerful version boasting a torque output of and a 0– time of 8 seconds. In the UK the lowest power output was dropped in favour of the 201 and 254 BHP models, the latter has an overboost to 268 and can hit 62 from a standstill in 7.4 seconds.
The new V6 TDI offers up to 23% more power and 28% more torque while delivering lower emissions and decreased fuel consumption compared to the previous 2.0 BiTDI engine that was previously the most powerful option. Deliveries of the new Amarok V6 TDI were scheduled to commence in the 3rd quarter of 2016. In late 2018 a more powerful version of the 3.0 V6 TDI was produced (190/200 kW & 580 Nm) to compete with the new Mercedes Benz X Class V6 CDI. Model Years Engine Displ. Power Torque 2.0 TSI 2011– I4 16V @ 3800–5500 rpm @ 1600–3750 rpm 2.0 TDI (CR) DPF 2010–2011 I4 16V @ 3750 rpm @ 1750–2250 rpm 2.0 TDI (CR) DPF 2012– I4 16V @ 3750 rpm @ 1750–2250 rpm 2.0 BiTDI (CR) DPF 2010– I4 16V @ 4000 rpm @ 1500–2000 rpm 2.0 BiTDI (CR) DPF 2012– I4 16V @ 1500–2000 rpm 3.0 TDI (CR) Bluemotion SCR, DPF 2016– V6 24V @ 1400–3000 rpm 3.0 TDI (CR) Bluemotion SCR, DPF 2019– V6 24V @ 1400–3000 rpm 3.0 TDI (CR) Bluemotion SCR, DPF (Manual) 2020– V6 24V @ 1400–3000 rpm
Facelifts First facelift (2016) In 2016, the Amarok went through a facelift for the 2016 model year. The facelift included a new revamped interior, which matches closely to the Volkswagen Transporter (T6), slight upgrade in equipment, new headlights and front grille, but the most notable difference is the introduction of the then-new 3.0 V6 TDi engine. In 2019, a more powerful 580 N-m variant of the V6 engine was introduced, with the original 550 N-m variant still being sold for the lower-spec models.
Second facelift (2024) During summer 2024, a second facelift, designed by Volkswagen design studio in Brazil, was launched for the Argentine market. An online photo leaked in December 2023 of the front end of the new Amarok in Volkswagen's Argentina factory on the production line. The new second facelifted Amarok has a new front-end, incorporating design cues from the Mk2 Amarok. The interior is mostly the same, but it now has a new button-less touchscreen on the dashboard, along with a new operating system for it.
Volkswagen Argentina's product manager explains that the decision not to replace it with the second-generation Volkswagen Amarok was based on the first-generation's reputation in the region, as well as its superior performance to the second-generation in terms of handling, comfort and off-road abilities.
Driveline The Amarok has three drive concepts: rear wheel drive, Shiftable 4Motion and Permanent 4Motion.The Shiftable all wheel drive system can shift drive between the axles whereas the permanent full-time all wheel drive system distributes power through a torque sensing (Torsen) differential with a 40:60 ratio between the front and rear axles.
Low-range gearbox In an exclusive release, Volkswagen Australia launched the Amarok V6 Core in January 2020: the only V6-powered Amarok model to feature a true low-range transfer case (as opposed to the AWD 4Motion system typically employed). Compared to the 4Motion system, the low-range gearbox provides proper low-speed crawling ability and an overall much more rugged driveline for the type of off-roading that is common in Australia. The transfer case is paired only with the 6-speed manual gearbox and the 3.0 V6 TDI engine.
Safety In November 2010, the Amarok was awarded 4 stars from Euro NCAP under the 2010/2011 standard crash testing procedure. Testing showed varying degrees of safety for occupants depending on the crash encountered. In February 2011, it received 5 stars from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). +Euro NCAP test results - 4/5 StarsTested criteriaRatingProtection rangeAdult occupant86%Acceptable - PoorChild occupant64%Good - PoorPedestrian47%Good - PoorSafety assistance57%Average
The face-lifted first generation Amarok in its most basic Latin American configuration received 3 stars from Latin NCAP 3.0 in 2024 (similar to Euro NCAP 2014).
Availability The first-generation Amarok was available in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, South Africa, and throughout Europe and South America. VW met with Canadian and American dealerships in 2012 to talk about introducing the pickup to those markets. For the U.S., it would likely necessitate moving production or building a plant somewhere in North America, to avoid the chicken tax enacted to light commercial vehicles.
Variants The Amarok was launched in a Double Cab variant with the Single Cab first launching in late 2011 in South Africa and Europe.
Core V6 Low-Range
Currently offered exclusive on the Australian market since early 2020, the Core V6 (also called TDI500 Core) is the only V6 Amarok variant in Australia to feature a true low-range transfer case. The Core V6 low-range was a result of strong lobbying by Volkswagen Australia to the parent organisation; citing strong demand from consumers, coupled with Australia being the number one importer of V6 Amaroks as rationale for the decision.
The Amarok has been often criticised for its lack of a low-range 4WD transfer case which is less complex and much more widely preferred in the off-road community for the design's reliability and strength in more extreme off-road duties, than AWD systems such as 4Motion.
The engine of the TDI500 Core is de-rated to 500Nm of torque (hence the TDI500 designation) to suit the 6 speed manual transmission. This new model is considered a base model and as such features cloth seating and lacks carpet, instead opting for rubber flooring. However, it still retains several 'premium' features such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.
There is also an additional variant, named the Core V6 Enduro which features primarily aesthetic enhancements such as a sports bar and decals in addition to the low-range transfer case. Interestingly, this variant is offered for the same price as the standard Core V6 manual. XL +31 CM XXL
Offers an extended bed with of space and a slightly longer wheelbase.
Chassis cab In 2006 the Australian publication Transport Today reported that Phil Clark, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Director in Australia, was trying to persuade Volkswagen's head office to add a chassis cab programme to Project RPU.
Cab Chassis variants of both the Single Cab and Double Cab will launch with the 2012 Model Year range.
Amarok Sochi Special Edition
The official vehicle of the 2014 Winter Olympics, the Amarok Sochi Special Edition was available only in Russia. It adds extra exterior chrome trim, a navigation system and an updated interior.
Amarok Polar Expedition
The Polar Expedition variant was designed to promote the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in the remote areas of Russia.