Ford has the Ranger, Mazda the BT50, Mitsubishi the Triton and Toyota the Hilux. Now Volkswagen has the Amarok. Entering a new vehicle segment is never easy for any automaker but VW is confident the Amarok will do well. What in the world is an Amarok anyway? I mean VW has been giving its new cars very strange names lately. First it was the Touareg, then the Tiguan and now we have the Amarok bakkie (pick-up truck).
Amarok means “wolf” to the Inuit Eskimos of northern Canada and Greenland. Whether this will be a wolf in sheep or wolf’s clothing will only be confirmed by the passing of time. But its makers are pretty confident that this is the bakkie of the future.
“This name fits the characteristics of our pickup perfectly, which will set new standards in its class,” says Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. “We took great care selecting this name, which can be used globally and is meant to invoke positive associations in all relevant international markets. The Amarok is a powerful and robust vehicle with great stamina - just like the wolf.”
A range of engines can be expected, mostly turbo diesels, some of which are already found in cars like the Jetta and Tiguan.
The first continent to get the Amarok will be South America in early 2010, then Central America, followed by Europe and then Africa and Australia. For South Africa it means the Amarok could be the second major VW launch for 2010, after the upcoming Polo.
*Pictures show a concept version of the Amarok, the VW Pickup concept first revealed at the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in September 2008.
