- A variety of diesel engines, including a V-6, will be available, along with a 298-hp gasoline turbo.
- The Volkswagen Amarok’s global debut reveals a mid-size pickup that is closely akin to the upcoming Ford Ranger.
- The majority of sales are anticipated in Australia, Europe, and Africa; it isn’t going to the United States.
In This Article...
Do VW pickup trucks still exist?
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US Sales Are Likely As the New VW Amarok Pickup Makes its Debut Next Month in HomeMotorsTruck
The midsize truck from Volkswagen is set to be unveiled next month, but here is everything we currently know about it and why we anticipate seeing it in North American dealerships shortly.
A new generation of Volkswagen’s midsize Amarok pickup truck is about to launch. In Europe, South America, and much of the rest of the world, the truck has long been popular, but this time is a little different. This time, Volkswagen’s Amarok vehicle appears prepared for sale in the United States.
Here is all we currently know about the new Volkswagen Amarok truck, along with our predictions for where and when it will be sold.
VW Pickups in America
If you’re reading this in America, the Rabbit Pickup is probably the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Volkswagen and trucks. In the 1980s, subcompact unibody trucks were sold in this country. To assist evade the taxes that prevent tiny foreign-built trucks from entering our country, those trucks were really produced at VW’s former plant in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.
The Amarok differs significantly from the Rabbit Pickup. Almost doesn’t even qualify as a Volkswagen, if we divide hares.
Volkswagen Makes Truck Deal With Ford
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the division of the business that produces the Amarok truck, struck a contract with Ford a few years ago. There will be some Ford EVs built on a VW basis, but that is not the topic at hand.
The trucking portion of the contract is what we’re interested in. The plan that calls for Ford to build VW’s future Ford Ranger pickup, which was unveiled late last year, as the basis for the second-generation Amarok (and goes on sale elsewhere this summer).
Beginning in 2023, the Ford Ranger vehicle will be sold in the United States and Canada. The Volkswagen version should easily comply with our safety and pollution standards because the Ford has been built to satisfy those standardsespecially if it uses a Ford engine rather than a VW one. With an established Volkswagen USA powertrain, obtaining emissions compliance should be simple.
Building the Amarok alongside the Ranger at Ford’s Wayne, Michigan, facility in order to avoid import duties is now very much a possibility thanks to a similar platform and design.
Of course, that isn’t the only convincing indication that the Amarok will arrive in America. Volkswagen renewed their application for trademark protection of the Amarok name in the U.S. in May 2021, which significantly strengthens the argument. Only a few weeks had passed after the announcement of the Volkswagen and Ford cooperation. Would you bother to seek legal protection for a name you weren’t going to use? We don’t think it’s likely.
Why it matters
The new Amarok has a variety of new driver-assistance features, greater off-road geometry, and many of the same underpinnings as the next Ford Ranger.
What’s next
Later this year, the VW Amarok will be sold in more nations. In 2023, Ford will release the Ranger and Ranger Raptor in the US.
Although midsize pickups are becoming increasingly popular in the US, several trucks are still only available to people outside the country. The Volkswagen Amarok, which makes its debut on Thursday, is one of these vehicles despite having a lot of parts in common with the next Ford Ranger pickup truck in the United States.
The largest four-door version of the new Amarok measures 210.6 inches long, 75.1 inches wide, and 74.3 inches tall, making it slightly bigger than its predecessor. Additionally, the wheelbase is longer, but the truck’s overhangs are reduced, which aids in off-road geometry. There will also be a shorter, two-door version available in select nations.
Depending on the country, Volkswagen will provide the Amarok with five different engine options. Three turbodiesel I4 engines, one turbodiesel V6, and a 2.3-liter turbo I4 gas engine with 298 horsepower are also available. Equally as many transmissions are available, including five- and six-speed manuals as well as 10- and 6-speed automatics. Additionally, 4Motion all-wheel drive is offered, with various nations having access to both permanent and selectable systems.
Inside, customers will find a portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. According to Volkswagen, more than 20 driver-assistance systems will be available internationally. The truck is now offered with LED matrix headlights, and the adaptive cruise control technology combines road sign recognition and can automatically adjust for changing speed limits.
Reiterating: Volkswagen does not intend to sell the Amarok in the US, but given that the new Ford Ranger will largely replace this truck’s best features, that seems OK. In 2023, Ford will introduce the new Ranger to the US. It will even offer a 392-hp Raptor variant, which VW cannot match.
What is the name of the Volkswagen pickup truck?
Since 2010, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has been manufacturing the Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck. It is a body-on-frame vehicle with leaf springs in the back and double wishbones up front. [1] The single cab and double cab models in the Amarok range are propelled by turbocharged gasoline or turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engines, and they can be ordered with either rear-wheel drive or 4motion four-wheel drive.
Do VW trucks get built?
Today, the unanswered issues regarding Volkswagen’s ambitions to produce a pickup truck for the American market were addressed.
In order to construct an all-electric truck and SUV for the United States, the corporation is reviving and electrifying the Scout brand as an independent business, with the first deliveries anticipated in 2026. The ID.4 is expected to begin production at the company’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant later this year. Company representatives did not specify whether the new vehicles would be produced there or at a different location.
However, officials did reveal in late March that a new all-electric SUV would be released in 2026. Now that VW has addressed the SUV void in its U.S. lineup, one or two pickups will finish the circle.
“Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, stated that following Volkswagen’s successful turnaround in the United States, the company is now seizing the chance to further solidify its position in one of the most significant growth areas for EVs. “As a Group, electrification presents a historically significant chance to penetrate the highly desirable pickup and R-SUV category, highlighting our goal to establish ourselves as a significant participant in the U.S. market.
When did Volkswagen start producing pickup trucks?
Beginning in 1979, VW began offering the Pickup, and it continued to produce them up until 1984, when the second-generation Golf model was eventually shown. The 1.6-liter diesel four in the Pickup was, gasp, rated at 52 horsepower.
Will VW export a truck to America?
It is difficult to compete with the popularity of trucks in the US. Ford and Ram are well-known truck manufacturers, but there are also some newbies, including Hyundai with its 2022 Santa Cruz pickup. Volkswagen once sold trucks in the United States, but it has been a while since the German automaker did so. More rumors about a Volkswagen vehicle are circulating following an interview with CarBuzz. And the prospect of that is very exciting.
Is a Ford Ranger a VW Amarok?
The Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger, as previously mentioned, are the results of a partnership between Volkswagen and Ford. They share many of the same floorplans, engines, transmissions, and important technological and safety features, with the majority of their differences coming from the exterior and interior styling.
Is the Amarok an everlasting 4X4?
Only the base Amarok has two-wheel drive, while the Trendline, Highline, and Ultimate Amaroks include what Volkswagen refers to as Selectable 4Motion part-time 4X4. Permanent 4Motion, or full-time 4X4, can get you The Ultimate.
What Car? says…
Pickup trucks have gained popularity over the past few years, in part because of certain alluring tax benefits for business users. And among the best is the Volkswagen Amarok, which we selected as the 2020 Pickup of the Year.
The Amarok has four doors and five seats in every variant, unlike some of its competitors, which come in a variety of body types. All models also have permanent four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, but if you do decide to purchase one, you will need to make at least two choices.
VW stopped producing trucks when?
Pickup trucks and Volkswagen don’t typically go together in a sentence (except in South Africa). But did you know that Volkswagen pickups were popular in the 1980s?
Yes, I do. Take a look at this:
Volkswagen produced a small pickup truck version of its Rabbit automobile in 1979. The Rabbit Pickup was ideal for them since they wanted to compete with all the tiny pickups that were then available on the market.
The Rabbit Pickup had a wheelbase that was about 9 inches longer than that of its sedan cousin and was built on a car frame (similar to the El Camino). It had a six-foot bed and had a 1,100-pound hauling capacity.
Isn’t it strange to see a Volkswagen logo over the back of a pickup? Greg Gjerdingen provided the image.
Due to its excellent economy (45 MPG), the Rabbit Pickup drew a lot of buyers who wanted to save money on petrol. Additionally, customers loved that they could “mold their Rabbit Pickups into vehicles that best matched their personal needs” by selecting from a wide variety of upgrades. The choices comprised, among others:
Transmission
- a manual four-speed transmission (front-wheel drive)
- a manual five-speed transmission (front-wheel drive)
- automated three-speed transmission (gasoline engines only)
Packages
Volkswagen provided a wide range of packages. The two most well-liked ones were:
- The Sport Package had a sport steering wheel, bucket seats, bodyside stripes, and a center console.
- The Western Package, which came with mirrors in the style of the West, a skid plate, and cargo bed tie-down rails
If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve never seen a Rabbit Pickup, it’s because Volkswagen only sold 75,947 of the vehicles before ceasing manufacture in 1983.
What’s the market value of a VW Rabbit Pickup?
Volkswagen has been around for a while and has produced a number of well-known automobiles. The Rabbit pickup is not one of them, despite the fact that many people like the truck. Although it still has its supporters today, this truck really offers nothing new. However, since it’s a typical pickup truck, it’s not actually intended to. There is little doubt that the automobile form of the Volkswagen Rabbit is what most people think of when thinking of it. The Volkswagen Rabbit Pick-up from 1984 is a cute little vehicle that was produced at that peculiar time in the 1980s when businesses tried to appeal to consumers who were concerned about fuel expenses while also wanting to stand out. One strategy they used to differentiate themselves was to create a truck-based version of the Rabbit, and to some extent, it worked.