New Volkswagen Amarok: 10,000 interested Aussie buyers as release date nears

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Volkswagen says it has received 10,000 expressions of interest in its new second-generation Amarok ute range from Australians as it puts the finishing touches on the local launch of the dual-cab lineup.

An expression of interest occurs when a buyer signs up to receive more information about a vehicle as it draws closer to launch. It differs from a firm deposit, the number of which Volkswagen is holding is not yet known.

Still on track to be released in Australia in May 2023, the second-generation Amarok will be offered in five grades and four engines in Australia, including a headliner Aventura grade that will give buyers a choice of V6 diesel or turbo-petrol four-cylinder power for the first time.

Pricing for the 2023 Amarok range commences at $50,990 for a single-turbo diesel four-cylinder Core model, and heads up to $79,990 for the Aventura with either a 3.0-litre V6 diesel or an optional 2.3-litre petrol. We’ve reviewed the Aventura V6 diesel, so read that here.

But it’s the mid-spec Style model that is still anticipated to be the best-selling new Amarok variant. The Style can be had with a twin-turbo 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder, for $66,990, or the 3.0-litre V6 diesel for $4000 more.

The two entry-grade trims, the base Core and level-two Life, will arrive in Australia a short time after the Style, Panamericana and Aventura variants. As for a hybrid or electric Amarok? They’re being planned for introduction in the coming years, with a 2.3-litre petrol plug-in hybrid set to come first.

Eagle-eyed ute fans could start spotting new Amaroks on Australian roads from now, with the first boatloads of internal training and press vehicles now hitting the docks.

Like the Ford Ranger, the new Volkswagen Amarok sits on the T6.2 chassis that both manufacturers contributed to – though the two models are being marketed entirely separately and will compete head-to-head in Australia’s fiercely-fought ute segment.

Final runout sales are currently occurring of the outgoing first-gen Amarok, a native Volkswagen product that brought customer expectations for a powerful V6 diesel engine back into the mainstream of the dual-cab segment.

For the second-generation car, Volkswagen made a decision to enter into a partnership with Ford across a range of new commercial vehicle models, including a new Amarok. The requirement to retain a V6 diesel engine, maintain VW’s high durability standards, deliver car-like handling and still be wide enough to accommodate standard European pallets were on VW’s list of demands.

Still, the new Ranger is shaping up to be a juggernaut in the Australian market, with a staggering 8032 deliveries of the 4WD grades across the first two months of 2023, far ahead of the 4×4 Toyota Hilux, which sits at 5921 for the period.

By contrast, runout Amarok sales have slowed to a trickle with 489 cars being delivered to buyers in January and February. 2018 was the first-gen Amarok’s best year, with 9290 units delivered.

Naturally, the sales numbers for the Amarok are expected to head skywards come May 2023 when the first customer deliveries begin.

Volkswagen Australia says that it is confident in ongoing supply for the new Amarok, which is built at the Ford Silverton factory in South Africa. That plant also produces the Ford Ranger for some markets, although the Australian-spec Ranger is sourced from Thailand – a country that faces lower import tariffs due to its free trade agreement with Australia.