Australia remains the biggest market outside South America for Volkswagen's Amarok ute and is the home of the Amarok V6, according to figures released today by the importer.
More than 83% of the 9290 Amaroks sold in Australian during 2018 were class-leading V6 variants, by far the greatest proportion of any market. The 7739 V6s sold was also the greatest number in 2018.
Only Brazil, a far bigger market, sold a comparable number of Amarok V6s. A total of 7540 of the 17,741 Amaroks sold in Brazil last year were from this part of the range.
The Amarok V6 was launched in Australia in 2016 with a 165kW/550Nm tune of the Volkswagen Group's 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel. Last year Volkswagen introduced the 580 Ultimate whose 190kW jumps to 200kW on overboost, underwritten by a class-leading 580Nm. Driven through an 8-speed automatic transmission and permanent-four-wheel-drive, the Ultimate is by far the fastest vehicle of its type, reaching 100km/h from standing in 7.3 seconds.
All that and you can still fit a full size palette in the tray.
Volkswagen Australia Director of Commercial Vehicles Ryan Davies said that Australia "can claim to be home of the Amarok V6".
"All Amarok V6 variants, but especially the higher grades, have been embraced by owners who want uncompromised performance married to what critics have universally called the best-handling in the ute space," Mr Davies said.
"Amarok was already a Volkswagen Australia brand pillar before the V6 cam online and changed the ute game up. With due respect to some excellent rivals from other brands, Amarok V6 is still the benchmark for drivers."
Mr Davies said additional V6 variants – the Canyon and the limited Black Edition – were due in August and that while these too would be automatics "we have not forgotten the promised manual V6".
"Australia is the only market calling out for this and we're hopeful of bringing it home. That said the Amarok four cylinder range remains crucial. Not everyone wants or needs to get to 100km/h in such a hurry. These remain a favourite of the off-road community. The 1551 four cylinder Amaroks sold in 2018 place them among the more important variants in the entire Volkswagen Australia range."
2018
|
|
|
|
Total
|
ARGENTINA
|
4 Cylinder
|
78.4%
|
14270
|
18201
|
ARGENTINA
|
V6
|
21.6%
|
3931
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BRAZIL
|
4 Cylinder
|
57.5%
|
10201
|
17741
|
BRAZIL
|
V6
|
42.5%
|
7540
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AUSTRALIA
|
4 Cylinder
|
16.7%
|
1551
|
9290
|
AUSTRALIA
|
V6
|
83.3%
|
7739
|
|
All new Volkswagens come with a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty and the option of service packages.