Photo: Volkswagen
Not sold in the United States but available in Mexico, the Volkswagen Amarok is getting on a bit. 2010 is when VW started production of the mid-size pickup, and 2022 is when the second generation will be revealed.
The German automaker and Ford teamed up to develop the all-new model with Ranger underpinnings in 2019, but the partnership won’t bear fruit in the guise of a badge-engineered truck. According to Volkswagen Australia managing director Michael Bartsch, the men and women behind the Amarok “won’t make the same mistake that Mercedes and Nissan made.”
Shots fired, but then again, the X-Class was a bit of a dog’s breakfast. Not only did it cost a lot more than the Navara for the same drivetrain, but the plastics used throughout the cabin were substandard for a commercial vehicle bearing the three-pointed star. After selling 15,300 units worldwide in 2019, the beancounters at Mercedes pulled the plug on the workhorse.
Speaking to Motoring, the head honcho of Volkswagen in Australia has also mentioned “clear and genuine differentiation” between the German pickup and the all-new Ranger. Be that as it may, engine and transmission options are said to come from the Ford Motor Company in the guise of the 2.0-liter EcoBlue, 3.0-liter PowerStroke, a six-speed stick shift, and the 10-speed auto you'll also find in the Mustang pony car and F-150 pickup.
Following the tie-up from March 2019, the chief executive officer of the Volkswagen Group had something interesting to say about the Amarok. More to the point, Ralf Brandstatter said, “there is no plan to electrify.” This is very intriguing indeed, more so if you remember that Ford is expected to offer a plug-in hybrid Ranger, twinned with the plug-in hybrid Bronco.
As a brief refresher, the PHEV has been directly confirmed by the previous chief exec of Ford, and indirect confirmation came courtesy of the “EV Coaching” feature. Word has it the Bronco with the fuel-sipping drivetrain is going to rock a 3.0-liter EcoBoost rather than the 2.7-liter engine.
Shots fired, but then again, the X-Class was a bit of a dog’s breakfast. Not only did it cost a lot more than the Navara for the same drivetrain, but the plastics used throughout the cabin were substandard for a commercial vehicle bearing the three-pointed star. After selling 15,300 units worldwide in 2019, the beancounters at Mercedes pulled the plug on the workhorse.
Speaking to Motoring, the head honcho of Volkswagen in Australia has also mentioned “clear and genuine differentiation” between the German pickup and the all-new Ranger. Be that as it may, engine and transmission options are said to come from the Ford Motor Company in the guise of the 2.0-liter EcoBlue, 3.0-liter PowerStroke, a six-speed stick shift, and the 10-speed auto you'll also find in the Mustang pony car and F-150 pickup.
Following the tie-up from March 2019, the chief executive officer of the Volkswagen Group had something interesting to say about the Amarok. More to the point, Ralf Brandstatter said, “there is no plan to electrify.” This is very intriguing indeed, more so if you remember that Ford is expected to offer a plug-in hybrid Ranger, twinned with the plug-in hybrid Bronco.
As a brief refresher, the PHEV has been directly confirmed by the previous chief exec of Ford, and indirect confirmation came courtesy of the “EV Coaching” feature. Word has it the Bronco with the fuel-sipping drivetrain is going to rock a 3.0-liter EcoBoost rather than the 2.7-liter engine.
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