It could be the last chance for the VW-based ute.
The Amarok, one of Volkswagen’s oldest models, has been around since 2010. It won’t be replaced by the next generation until next year. The company’s Australian division has joined forces with Walkinshaw, a local engineering firm, to continue last year’s special edition beefy ute. (pictured below).
The W580X continues where the W580S was, with a suspension lift kit to increase ground clearance. An optional snorkel is available. There are also upgraded twin-tube dampers, 18-inch forged wheels with all-terrain tires wrapped in all-terrain tires and encased in enlarged wheel arches. Walkinshaw and VW have added additional underbody protection as well as an LED light bar.
The new Amarok W580X’s heart is a 3.0-liter twin-turbodiesel V6 engine that produces 255 horsepower (190kW) and 580 Newton meters (428 pound-feet). An eight-speed automatic transmission delivers the TDI punch to both axles via a full-time, four-wheel-drive system.
The truck comes with all the equipment you’d expect from a special edition of high-end trucks. The Amarok W580X is equipped with everything you need, including bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lamps. Rubber floor mats, a tire pressure monitoring system, and heated front seats are all part of the Amarok W580X’s plans. VW and Walkinshaw will add velour upholstery to the vehicle, while also tweaking its exterior with black mirrors and a rear bumper and a new grille.
The all-new Ford Ranger-based pickup truck, which will debut next year, could be the final hurrah of the first-gen Amarok. Blue Oval will build the vehicle in South Africa. Rumors suggest that a performance-oriented version could be VW’s equivalent to the Ranger Raptor.