Volkswagen flirted with the idea of building an Amarok-based SUV. The design team eventually aborted the plan and decided to stick with the pickup truck. Now, the German brand might reconsider the decision.
The Amarok SUV never saw the light of day. Furthermore, the Amarok became a Ford Ranger in a Volkswagen skin since the pickup was transferred to Ford underpinnings.
Ford does sell an SUV version of the fourth-generation Ranger in several markets, but it is not available in the United States, where it would rival the Bronco. Ford would skip the cannibalization part since the only possible rival of an Amarok-based SUV would be the Atlas, which features a unibody construction, not a body-on-frame.
But Volkswagen is off the hook. The plan was scrapped in July 2022 by Lars Krause, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle board member for marketing.
Called Everest, the Ford model with a body-on-frame construction comes with a seven-seat layout and is available in both front- and rear-wheel drive. The first prototypes were spotted testing right after Volkswagen had ditched the plan of an Amarok SUV.
Photo: Volkswagen
Albert Kirzinger, Head of Design at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, published an official rendering of the Amarok SUV on LinkedIn. The photo shows a rugged model with a design inspired by that of its pickup counterpart. It sports a front end with slim headlights connected by an LED strip, multi-spoke wheels in a black finish, and roof racks.
In the post on LinkedIn, Kirzinger says that, even though it was a research phase "back in the day," the design team is ready for rugged adventures. This might be a hint that an Everest sibling is not that far-fetched.
If it does show up, it should feature an electric powertrain and a body-on-frame structure and might be marketed as the ID. Ruggdzz. Volkswagen has already built an ID. Ruggdzz concept, shown to the public in 2019.
The Amarok is currently rolling off the production line of the Silverton factory in Pretoria, South Africa, with Ford Ranger underpinnings, and it seems like it is here to stay. The Germans unveiled the refreshed variant of the pickup truck back in December 2023.
As reported by the British publication Autocar, the Ford-sourced T6 platform is specifically designed by Ford of Australia to support an electric powertrain as well. It currently receives petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Further engineering is taking place at Ford's headquarters in Dearborn.
In terms of styling, the electric SUV should borrow design cues from the Amarok and should come as a seven-seater like the Everest. It should also receive a large battery pack in order to deliver the towing capacity and range that an SUV would normally provide.
However, Volkswagen is still manufacturing the model with Volkswagen parts only in Pacheco, Argentina, for South American markets only. That is where the Amarok SUV might start as well.
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