Volkswagen has introduced the all-new Amarok, created from scratch. It takes nothing from the previous model, which the automaker has been selling for the last 12 years. The changes start from the new platform where the 2023 Amarok gets Ford’s T6 chassis, which also strengthens the new Ranger. However, the new Amarok is more than a simple rebadged model of the Ranger. Volkswagen worked very hard to give it a distinct VW look.
Dimensions
VW will launch the 2023 Amarok in single cab and double cab body configurations at the start. The double cab is 5,350 millimeters (210.6 inches) in length, adding 96 mm (3.8 in) to the truck it replaces. The wheelbase is also extended by 173-mm (6.8-in) to 3,270 mm (128.7 in). VW curtailed the overhangs to boost the truck’s off-road prowess through enhanced approach and departure angles.
Speaking of dimensions, the engineers reduced the width by 34 mm (1.4 in) to 1910 mm (75.2 in) but improved the height by 10 mm (0.4 in) to 1888 mm (74.3 in), even though that differs according to the wheel and tire choice. The standard wheel size will be 17-inch steel but buyers can have 21-inch alloys at an extra cost for the first time.
The new VW Amarok will be a more capable off-roader thanks to the improved fording depth of 800 mm (previously it was 500 mm). The all-wheel drive will be standard in most markets. Two 4-Motion configurations will be available – a selectable 4×4 and a permanent all-wheel. In some parts of the world, Volkswagen will also sell the new Amarok’s base model in a rear-wheel-drive layout. According to the powerplant, VW claims a maximum towing rating of up to 3,500 kilograms.
Powerplants
The good thing about the new Amarok is the availability of five powerplants – Four diesel and one petrol, and all will be turbocharged. For the African countries, the least powerful model will use a 2.0 TDI creating 148 hp (110 kW), whereas other markets will employ a more robust variant of the engine, offering 168 hp (125 kW). A step above is bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel mill generating either 201 hp (150 kW) or 207 hp (154 kW).
The top-of-the-line variant will be powered by a 3.0-litre V6 pumping out 238 hp (177 kW) or 247 hp (184 kW). The states that prefer petrol over diesel, will get the new UTE with a 2.3-litre petrol engine churning out 298 hp (222 kW).
The gearbox options will be a ten-speed automatic for powerplants yielding 207 hp (154 kW) or more whereas the rest of the models will get either a six-speed auto and a five- or six-speed manual.
The automaker has also bumped up the payload capacity to 1,160 kg (2,557 lbs). On the other hand, the roof can carry a static load of 350 kg (772 lbs), adequate for a four-people roof that is accessible for interested buyers as an accessory. Besides, the next-gen Amarok will be accessible with a hardtop cover and lots of other accessories like a bull bar, a snorkel, and so on.
Interior
The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok doesn’t only look completely different from the outside, the interior also gets a new feel thanks to the vertical infotainment screen using Ford’s SYNC 4. The display is either 10 or 12 inches according to the variant. Adjacent to the infotainment screen is the digital instrument cluster, which varies between eight-inch diagonal and 12 inches, based on the variant.
The automaker offers the new Amarok in five variants – Amarok, Life, Style, and the freshly created off-road-focused PanAmericana, in addition to a luxury-oriented Aventura. The engineers added more than 20 driver-assistance systems along with matrix LED headlights and a Harman Kardon sound system, that hasn’t been added to any other vehicle yet.
Production
The next-generation 2023 Amarok will hit the assembly lines in September at Ford’s Silverton factory in Pretoria, South Africa. The South American customers will still be able to get the first-generation Amarok, which is being built in Pacheco, Argentina.
Source and Images: Motor1