Home | News | Road Tests Amarok is VW's new ute Volkswagen's new Amarock is based on the 2008 Pick-Up Concept Vehicle (shown above) Home > News > Volkswagen 7th June, 2009 The new Volkswagen utility truck is to be named "Amarok". Later this year, the first "Japanese-style" ute by a European volume manufacturer will be unveiled in South America. The South American launch is set for March 2010, with the VW Amarok heading to Europe in mid-2010. With the Amarok, Volkswagen is seeking to enter global utility markets dominated for the most part by Japanese brands. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented a concept truck at last year's IAA Commercial Vehicles (Germany), providing a 'look' of the division's new model. The Volkswagen Amarok will be manufactured in Argentina at Volkswagen's Pacheco plant near Buenos Aires. The name Amarok comes from the language of the Inuit, who live in northern Canada and Greenland, and means wolf. The Inuit, one of the Eskimo peoples, regard the wolf as the king of the wilderness, an impressive figure due to its strength, robustness, endurance and superiority. This name also means "he loves stones" in the Romance languages, which are spoken in the major markets in Brazil and Argentina. In these markets, utility trucks are in demand as recreational and commercial vehicles due to their versatility. The VW Amarok's reliability and suitability for off-road driving will make it a very attractive proposition. "This name fits to a 'tee' the characteristics of our pick-up, which will set new standards in its class. We took great care selecting this name, which can be used globally. The Amarok is meant to invoke positive associations in all relevant international markets and make a more convincing argument than its established competitors right from the start," says Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Self-Catering Holiday Accommodation in Denmark, WA ..... more The Volkswagen Amarok is the first utility truck of this kind from a European manufacturer and will face competition in the one-tonne class mostly from Asia. The sixth model from the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand, which follows the Caddy, Transporter (or Multivan) and Crafter as well as the Saveiro and T2, both of which are available exclusively in South America, is a significant component in the Volkswagen Group's growth strategy and opens a new segment for Volkswagen. Schaller comments, "The Amarok lifts our brand into a new, even more international dimension. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is proud to develop, build and sell this vehicle, which is extremely important for the growth of the entire Group and constitutes a logical strategic addition to the global range." Developed from scratch, the Amarok will be launched as a double-cab utility with four-wheel drive. A single-cab version will be available at a later date. The utility truck features not only state-of-the-art, robust engineering but also efficient engines and current Volkswagen styling. The concept vehicle shown at Frankfurt's IAA gives a first impression. State-of-the-art, powerful yet efficient common rail turbo diesel injection (TDI) of the next generation will be used in the powertrain. The fuel consumption and emissions for the VW Amarok are intended to achieve new best values for the utility truck segment. The new Volkswagen Amarok is set be launched first in South America and Central America in 2010, followed by Russia and Europe as well as Africa and Australia in late 2010. Hear Chris Goodsell Talk Motoring On Radio & Internet ..... more More Volkswagen News ..... here About | Car Clubs | Home | News | Road Ramblings | Road Tests | Subscribe | Top Drive ©   2009   All rights reserved.   Next Car Pty. Ltd.