Amarok News

[Sharkie]

Be good to keep up to date what is happening in the Amarok world ....

V6 Manual is now finally confirmed (?), what is even more interesting is that it will have (FOR THE 1ST TIME) a proper low range gearbox!

Due July 2019 and with some interesting specs and at a good price. Still no (and will never have in its current lifecycle) rear airbags though.

http://https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/cut-price-volkswagen-amarok-v6-manual-due-july-116490/

[Sharkie]

Some more concerning news is the death of the VW developed Amarok. Whilst the Ranger is really good, and will really benefit from a decent V6 TDI engine, this is sad news from my perspective. The current Amarok has been the benchmark since inception for quality and on the road driveability. Sadly, I fear some of it will be lost along the way .....

http://https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/ford-and-vw-to-co-develop-ranger-replacement-116491/

BTW, this news has been circulating since mid December already, just freshly confirmed again in today's news.

[meleddah]

Some more concerning news is the death of the VW developed Amarok. Whilst the Ranger is really good, and will really benefit from a decent V6 TDI engine, this is sad news from my perspective. The current Amarok has been the benchmark since inception for quality and on the road driveability. Sadly, I fear some of it will be lost along the way .....

http://https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/ford-and-vw-to-co-develop-ranger-replacement-116491/

BTW, this news has been circulating since mid December already, just freshly confirmed again in today's news.

This sucks. I thought vw were doing one more gen in their own before a joint project. What’s are they going to do till 2022?

[wetaline2]

I really don't know what to believe. VW has said numerous times they have the tech and are working on or looking at airbags for the Amarok. They've said they will put them in the amarok before they do the 7 seater suv amarok because it will need them so they'll have to engineer them in ready for it - assuming it (the 7 seater) still goes ahead.
Volkswagen hints at seven-seat wagon (https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/volkswagen-hints-at-seven-seat-wagon)

Then you read about the manual model (link to carsales above) with the comments from VW saying no way no how they will add airbags to current gen with ford-vw only a few years away.

Does anyone know fact from fiction? I'm sure if they were planning to put them in now, the last thing they'd be doing is telling us as it would kill current sales of non-airbag models.
But if they don't put them in, it's still at least 3 years till the ranger/amarok which is a very long time to be behind every other manufacturer by having no air bags.

I've also read the current gen wont get advanced driver aids till the ranger model, but have spoken to my local dealer who said he thinks the amarok is getting them later this year after the manual comes out??? I asked about airbags and he said he doesn't think it'll get airbags before the ranger model.

Are we getting airbags before 2022's ranger model? Does anyone have an inside knowledge?

[wetaline2]

With all the media information out there here's what I read. VW has already developed the tech and safety but decided not to put these in the car. They just don't want to - they don't care about our kids or passengers safety. They want to keep their 5 star ancap rating from 2011 and not revise the car because under the new revised ancap this is now only a 3 STAR vehicle. Keeping their rating is more important than our safety.Speaking to my local dealer he said they loose a lot of sales because of no rear airbags, he also said VW were stupid (yes the dealer said that) because he doesn't understand how a $70k+ premium ute doesn't have the same safety and tech as their cheaper polo/golf etc - he said he'd never buy and ultimate without it getting safety/tech updates including airbags.

Amarok: Is power more important to pick-up buyers than safety? | CarAdvice (https://www.caradvice.com.au/502193/amarok-is-power-more-important-to-pick-up-buyers-than-safety/)
Also at the Australian launch of the V6 Amarok, CarAdvice spoke with Dr Jan Michel, International Sales Director of Volkswagen Commercial, who indicated the airbag ‘issue’ is something VW is cognisant of.
“We are working on it”, said Dr Michel.
When asked if the airbag system may be seen in the current generation car before it is replaced by an all new vehicle in 2020, Dr Michel said “I am not an engineer, but I don’t think it is a difficult thing, and we are looking at it at the moment.”

2017 Volkswagen Amarok could finally get rear airbags (https://www.whichcar.com.au/car-news/2017-volkswagen-amarok-could-finally-get-rear-airbags)
VOLKSWAGEN is finally looking to engineer rear curtain airbags for its popular Volkswagen Amarok (https://www.whichcar.com.au/volkswagen/amarok) ute.
However, the potentially life-saving features aren’t available on the just updated model – and aren’t likely to be until at least 2018.
“We are working on it … we are currently looking at it,” said Dr Jan Michel, Volkswagen’s global export sales director for commercial vehicles (https://www.whichcar.com.au/car-news/top-5-trade-utes-september-2016-car-sales). “Australia is pushing for it. We know all the reasons … we all know SUV customers would like to have it. They compare the Amarok to SUVs and so ‘OK, this is maybe a feature we would like to have’.
“Therefore we put really a lot of pressure in our organisation to work on [rear side curtain airbags].”
A Volkswagen source told Wheels the carmaker’s Australian business had urged the Amarok’s development team to try and fit side-curtain SRS airbags (https://www.whichcar.com.au/car-advice/what-airbags-do-and-how-airbags-keep-you-safe) as part of the mid-life overhaul of the trade ute

https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/safety-shortfall-for-new-volkswagen-amarok-102709/
Speaking at the international launch of the 2017 V6 Amarok in Germany, Volkswagen Group Head of Product Marketing – Amarok, Dennis Houstein, admitted the lack of protective side curtains for the second row seats remained "a real important (issue) in Australia..."
Houstein said Volkswagen was hopeful that it could resolve the issue before the next generation Amarok arrives around 2020. "It's possible [to fit rear airbags] with the current package; we're doing research on that," he said.

So there you go people - "it's possible to fit rear airbags with the current package"
The fact that they still haven't fitted rear airbags can only mean they just don't want to.

[Transporter]

The Amarok is utility vehicle, most people who buy them are tradies. How many tradies take their kids to their job sites? Now, forget about the ute, how often you see more than 2 people in any car?
I’m thinking about updating my 2013 Amarok and don’t need the rear airbags, more airbags could mean more expensive insurance as well.
Luck of airbags, doesn’t worry me, though they should put the rear air went there, my dog would really appreciate it. :P
Otherwise, it’s perfect vehicle. Stuff the media and incompetent journalists who can’t focus on anything else than luck of the rear airbags. :facepalm:

[wetaline2]

Ute's are no longer just tradie vehicles, they are suv crossovers for families. Look at all the tech and safety in the latest ranger, it's marketed at comfort for family and daily driving not to haul tools.
Hence VW being 10years behind and not having rear airbags cuts them out of the family/suv market - well those that care about safety, not just cylinders.
I'll prob buy a ranger because VW isn't designed for families which I'm looking for.

[Sharkie]

I'm not a tradie but have had many utes over the years. My Amarok has always done duty as a family car as well and not having rear airbags have not bothered me at all. Unless you get t-boned, rear side air bags are not going to help rear passengers much anyway. The odds of this is really low, so in reality in my view is not actually necessary.

It would be a nice to have for me but its no deal breaker by any means. Some of the other safety tech would be more beneficial in my view and I would really like that but if you really need any of it, you may need to re-evaluate your driving abilities. I'm really more concerned about the nanny state misconceptions/advertising these days and the lemmings that blindly believe all of the focus on "tech for dummies" instead of focusing on actual driving skills (which would to a great extent alleviate the need for all these "aids").

The fact remains that as drivers car, the Amarok is far far better than any of the other dual cabs on the market today, and that includes the Ranger...... go drive an Amarok and make a back to back decision on that. I have never met a single person who have driven an Amarok
and any of the competition that did not think the Amarok was the better ute for daily driving ...

[wetaline2]

Sharkie, I whole-heartedly agree the amarok drives far and away better than anything else on the market.
I also agree driver aids make driver lazy and complacent - i dont need to look AEB will stop for me...
And the new ANCAP system is crap - a car that crashes well with no safety gets 3 star, a car that crashes crap with safety aids gets 3 star - how do we compare apples??

But I have small kids coming out of car seats in my amarok with no side airbags, so time to consider an upgrade to protect them from a very slight chance of a side impact. And yes I'm sure I'm overthinking and worrying more than I should.

Statistically the average driver has 3-4 accidents in their lifetime (google it), 1-1.5% of which are serious ones (but not fatal), of which 30% involves a side impacts (Safety Testing Explained | ANCAP (https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-testing-explained)).
It's like someone saying you'll have 1 side impact car accident in your lifetime, but there's only a 1.5% chance it's a serious accident. Based on a 1.5% chance your kids won't have protection in a serious accident would you opt for a car with airbags?

[Transporter]

It's like someone saying you'll have 1 side impact car accident in your lifetime, but there's only a 1.5% chance it's a serious accident. Based on a 1.5% chance your kids won't have protection in a serious accident would you opt for a car with airbags?

If you have to have Ute as your family car and worried about rear airbags, because of kids, then yes the Ranger is more suitable for you.
Though I’d probably get even safer vehicle and buy the Touareg. :)

[wetaline2]

The new car needs to be a commercial so the Touareg isn't an option :-(

[Rocket36]

Airbags and kids in the back are mutually exclusive as the kids are protected by their car seats or booster seats. If they don't need a booster seat, they're too big for the back of an Australian crew cab. The rear room in all of them is frankly, CRAP! If you want a ute for the whole family, get an American pick up.

[Sharkie]

Airbags and kids in the back are mutually exclusive as the kids are protected by their car seats or booster seats. If they don't need a booster seat, they're too big for the back of an Australian crew cab. The rear room in all of them is frankly, CRAP! If you want a ute for the whole family, get an American pick up.

Actually not true .... I had 3 teenagers (at the same time) in my Amarok numerous times, including 3 drives of 3500km return Brisbane to Thredbo over the years. It is very wide in the back (wider than any sedan and 3 adults can sit side by side without touching each other!) and leg space is good, not so great is the upright angle (less upright than most other dual cabs though) of the seat back. There are many, many cars out there that have far less space in the back.

[wetaline2]

Agree, I'm just shy of 6 foot and find enough leg room in back of my Amarok plus more than wide enough for 3 adults. Rear facing car seat slots in back-middle seat no problem, still good front seat leg room. Only reason to need an American truck is if towing say 4.5t. Back seat is actually pretty comfy too, better than my works MY19 Rangers.

[Sharkie]

Amarok Black Editions are out now .... hero colour is RED apparently (only 300 available in this colour)!

Black Editions are Highline spec with Ultimate's TDI580 engine.

At my local dealer .....
42636
42637

Have to say this colour scheme is old news ..... I have had it almost exactly like this for over 5 years ,,,,

[Transporter]

Are you updating Sharkie?

[Sharkie]

Are you updating Sharkie?

Maybe .... :confused:

Though its hard to justify another Amarok when we have a perfectly working one in the family .... :facepalm:

[wetaline2]

Note: The 580 highline also has the colour multifunction display and 19 rims.
I'd wait till later this year as the Amarok is supposed to be getting some driver aids I was told by my local dealer..

Eventually it will get AEB, rear cross traffic alert, lane guidance, adaptive cruise, driver fatigue monitor, 8" multimedia screen (and they'll need side curtains for the 7 seat amarok suv if it ever goes ahead). This info from the following:
"The recently released Crafter (https://www.carsguide.com.au/volkswagen/crafter) van is offered with AEB (https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/what-is-autonomous-emergency-braking-or-aeb-51459), rear cross-traffic alert, lane guidance (https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/lane-departure-warning-explained-45944) and more.“The current [Amarok (https://www.carsguide.com.au/volkswagen/amarok)], it's offering what it’s offering, but we are planning to put this [technology (https://www.carsguide.com.au/technology)] in now,” he said.“We started with the Crafter, and the next one will be the T, so the T6 will get all this, and the Caddy will be the next one. T is next year in Europe and next year also in the UK. I would say the beginning of 2020 most probably in Australia.”
https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/volkswagen-amarok-2020-driver-aids-locked-in-71320

[wetaline2]

Latest Update in the News.
VW are excited about partnering with Ford.
Unfortunately they have no clue whats happening and no input on the next gen Amarok. But they are excited...
Volkswagen 'excited' about Ford ute partnership | CarAdvice (https://www.caradvice.com.au/725617/volkswagen-excited-about-ford-ute-partnership/)

[Autodas]

Latest Update in the News.
VW are excited about partnering with Ford.
Unfortunately they have no clue whats happening and no input on the next gen Amarok. But they are excited...
Volkswagen 'excited' about Ford ute partnership | CarAdvice (https://www.caradvice.com.au/725617/volkswagen-excited-about-ford-ute-partnership/)

Big Kev was excited too, and look what happened to him.

[brad]

The Amarok is utility vehicle, most people who buy them are tradies. How many tradies take their kids to their job sites? Now, forget about the ute, how often you see more than 2 people in any car?
I’m thinking about updating my 2013 Amarok and don’t need the rear airbags, more airbags could mean more expensive insurance as well.
Luck of airbags, doesn’t worry me, though they should put the rear air went there, my dog would really appreciate it. :P
Otherwise, it’s perfect vehicle. Stuff the media and incompetent journalists who can’t focus on anything else than luck of the rear airbags. :facepalm:

I agree.
We buy Amarok twincabs at work (we'd have about 30 in the fleet). Our main purpose of the back seat is storage of PPE and other equipment with very occasional (maybe 1%) passenger use. Personally, I think there are better solutions but I'm not the fleet manager.

Other twincabs (any brand) that I see don't seem to get a lot of back seat use.

[wetaline2]

Here's the latest news I've seen to keep us interested while they tinker on the new utes.
VW boss says he's already driven the new utes and is really impressed!

“I just drove last week the pickups, the platform that we will share, and was really impressed with the capability of the product in the pipeline, so I am very positive on the Ford partnership,” he told the US-based publication.
Source VW boss 'really impressed' with Ford Ranger platform - CAR magazine (https://www.carmag.co.za/news/vw-boss-really-impressed-with-ford-ranger-platform/)

[brad]

Here's the latest news I've seen to keep us interested while they tinker on the new utes.
VW boss says he's already driven the new utes and is really impressed!

“I just drove last week the pickups, the platform that we will share, and was really impressed with the capability of the product in the pipeline, so I am very positive on the Ford partnership,” he told the US-based publication.
Source VW boss 'really impressed' with Ford Ranger platform - CAR magazine (https://www.carmag.co.za/news/vw-boss-really-impressed-with-ford-ranger-platform/)

What else would he say?
"I've just driven the new platform. OMG, why did we sign off on that garbage? We'll all be rooned!" (apologies John O'Brien)

[Transporter]

Hmm, last VW Ford collaboration, when they produced the van together wasn’t that great. VW Sharan/Ford Galaxy. :facepalm:

[winchy]

New VW Amarok V6 Highline 580S 2020 detailed: Special-edition ute to pack 200kW punch - Car News | CarsGuide (https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/new-vw-amarok-v6-highline-580s-2020-detailed-special-edition-ute-to-pack-200kw-punch-78101)

[Sharkie]

Just another "limited" edition of the 580. This makes the 2nd special edition after the Black edition last year this time. Same engine but I like the style bar on the back.

More interesting is the Core Enduro V6 in manual with proper low range. On special for $49K drive-away and at a 1.99% finance offer if you chose. https://aus.volkswagen.com.au/offer-and-pricing-detail?modelcode=S7BA74/20&postcode=4000&state=QLD&locality=BRISBANE ADELAIDE STREET&colour=Candy White&size=6&offset=6&filterby=Offers&filtervalue=Amarok&related=[S7BA74/20,S7BA7A/19,S7BC7AS/19]

[wetaline2]

Core, Manual, Black Edition, Canyon, 580 Highline, Highline 580S and it just goes on... ZZZZZzzzzz
New model is still a long way off while ever the variants and limited editions keep coming.
Bring out the new model already - drives great but this ones too long in the tooth with the outdated tech and safety!

[Tornado T5]

Just for fun:
2022 Volkswagen Amarok teased: Ford Ranger-based ute coming | CarAdvice (https://www.caradvice.com.au/835535/2022-volkswagen-amarok-teased/)