The Volkswagen Amarok was tailor-made for diesel engines, but never ones as powerful or big as a V8. That changed in March when German tuners MTM decided it was time to drop a 4.2-liter under the hood and see what happens.
The engine was readily available from a Touareg SUV, though going from a 4-banger to a V8 is no small task. As if that wasn't enough, the mill was tuned to produce 410 hp and 930 Nm of torque (686 lb-ft).
Unfortunately, the video debut of the V8-powered Amarok does not include any shots of it going from 0 to 100 km/h in six seconds or reaching a new top speed of 222 km/h. However, we do get to take a closer look at the first German truck ever to claim it's faster than a Golf GTI.
We would have loved to see how this 410 horsepower Amarok compares to something like a SVT Raptor. Unfortunately, shots of a driving through a rapeseed field will have to do. Hooked up to a standard 4Motion all-wheel drive system, the truck makes short work of light offroading duties. However, the tough stuff will be a problem, since the suspension has been re-tuned for speed and handling.
MTM has fitted the extreme pickup with beautiful BBS SV wheels wrapped in 295/40/R22 Michelin Latitude tires. Behind them sit brand new 405x36 mm discs, which ensure the grabbing power is enough to tub the 2-ton train back to standstill if needed.
Just like that rape field we talked about, the interior features yellow accents which complement alcantara that's been added to the steering wheel, the seats, center armrest and on the door panels. We doubt MTM will resist bringing "V8 Passion" to this month's Worthersee GTI meet, so be prepared to see more of it in two weeks' time.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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