Officially Official: Volkswagen Amarok Pickup Makes The Scene

[Preen59]

Back in your boxes boys. You just got the mother of all shut downs!

[vwguru]

any photos of the motor and stuff yet???????????
or dont i wanna know

[GOLFBALLS]

You also have to consider that almost every country town has a toyota dealer as the only car supplier for the whole town.

How is this going to be a viable option outside of major population centres if ther is no support for hundreds of Km's.

Thanks. A sensible and relevant post.

[mrpayne]

In regards to the Isuzu/Holden thing.

The Isuzu D-Max has been sold in overseas markets for quite a number of years. The Holden Rodeo that we have always known here is a rebadged Isuzu D-Max. The Chevy Colorado is a different vehicle. The Isuzu was released here last year, and as a result, because Isuzu own the Rodeo name, Holden changed the name to Colorado. The vehicle is basically exactly the same as it always was, bar exterior change, some specification differences, and the fact that the Isuzu Motor has 16 Valves, versus the other Isuzu motor in the Holden having 8 Valves.

Holden will be changing to an American sourced Chevy Colorado over the next 12 months, as Isuzu only had the contract to keep building vehicles for them up until ~June next year.

Back on topic - really looking forward to the Amarok. I have sold light commercial vehicles for 2 years prior to Volkswagen here, and have always thought that is a good competitive segment here in Australia, and all of the competitors offer different things for different people. I hope that the Amarok delivers what it should, i.e. fuel efficiency, safety, refinement, and some handling, mixed in with strong off-roadability. I think that an automatic is still a must in the segment though, and it will be interesting to see if this holds it back somewhat.

Cheers,

Mark.

[mikepologti]

only thing im worried about with vw/ audi 4x4 (and please correct me if im wrong) is there not "trully" 4x4 as the rears are only engaged when the front lose traction. has anyone here taken a vw for a serious 4x4 treck? no i dont mean gravel roads (hell my gf's getz can do those) i mean something half formidable.ive only driven a few landcrusers and a navara , and the toyota are very very good at what they do.(sept the later hilux's that are having ground clearance issues in the sand, stradbroke island mining company contracted a few of them and put lift kits on them within weeks because they kept getting bogged so i here) cheers in advance

[phaeton]

only thing im worried about with vw/ audi 4x4 (and please correct me if im wrong) is there not "trully" 4x4 as the rears are only engaged when the front lose traction. has anyone here taken a vw for a serious 4x4 treck? no i dont mean gravel roads (hell my gf's getz can do those) i mean something half formidable.ive only driven a few landcrusers and a navara , and the toyota are very very good at what they do.(sept the later hilux's that are having ground clearance issues in the sand, stradbroke island mining company contracted a few of them and put lift kits on them within weeks because they kept getting bogged so i here) cheers in advance

There will be two all wheel drive options a Shiftable 4Motion and Pernament 4Motion.

First Drive review here

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/12/first-drive-review-2010-volkswagen-amarok.html

[Rocket36]

thanks for clarifying mrpayne - beat me to it. lol

[gavs]

I've been reading through this post with quite some amusement

To clarify a few points for people:

1) The Amarok will be powered by one of two different 2Lt Turbo diesel engines. The base models by a single variable vane turbo, the upper spec and switchable 4Motion modles by a sequential twin turbo setup. All models come with a 6 speed manual transmission. All talk of a petrol version, DSG gearbox and auto gearbox are currently unfounded. And the other rumour of the V10TDi under the bonnet? It won't fit.

2) The Isuzu Rodeo was sold under liscenc by GM Australia, opperating under the name of GMH or Holden. Untill 2008, this was all honkey dorey untill Gm hq in Detroit started off-loading assets to try and repay debt (while the CEO went out and bought another private jet mind you....) so this soured relations between GMH and Isuzu, therefore Holden needed to come up with a new name and brand, some 8 months after releasing an updated Roseo model. Hence, Colorado. The 2 cars are still built in the same factory in Thailand, the differences are: Different front and rear bumpers, different lights, slightly different interior, new name and a Korean sourced engine in the Colorado. The reliabilty of these is questionable at the least, the major concern is with the tubs and body shells cracking. It is also the smallest and least comfortable to drive, if you can keep it straight ahead.

3) Anybody who buys a Great Wall needs their head read. Official data from the ANCAP videos for the crash tests show not only the chassis breaking and bending, but the airbags deploy into the occupant's chests which would almost certainly kill them due to internal injuries. The D-max and colorado are the most poorly built of the 4x4 dual cab utes and the GReat wall is a Chinese copy of these. They have removed support and strengthening materal, have down graded the bolts and some bolts we have found aren't even grade 8.8 so it technically doesn't even meet automotive standards!

4) Hilux's are reliable???? Are you kidding??? This is for the comparable diesel model.

120,000kms: Variable vane stepper motor fails or position sensor fails causing the turbo to fail and the car to go into limp mode. Minimum $5500 in parts alone and 2 days labour minimum.
Master cylinder on brakes starts to lose pressure.
Synchros in manual gearbox wear out.
Inspection plate on gearbox isn't sealed, gearboxes fill with water, dust and mud.

The chassis has so much flex in it the tub can hit the car body over rough roads, the auto models have cyclic vibration running through the chassis, so at speeds over 80kph with a bullbar fitted, the whole car shakes. if the auto isn't being replaced that is...

The top-of-the-range SR5 Diesel looks identical to the base model 2wd tray body Workmate inside, bar some silver paint that wears off after a year. Standard safety features? 2 airbags. Want side airbags (that often don't deploy!), pay for it. Want EBD? not an option due to still using rear drum brakes. ESP? Good luck. ABS? sometimes it works....On top of this, a standard Hilux actually exceeded it's own front axle GVM figure when it launched!! Interesting how the figure was very quickly revised.....

The only reason hilux sells so well is because it's the best of a bad bunch and due to clever marketing. Nearly everybody I know with a 4x4 diesel hilux wants to sell it because they are such a heap of crap. Many have been waiting for the new amarok to arrive to make their descision.

5) Genuine 1 tonne capacity on Amarok with option heavy duty rear leaf springs fitted instead of coils.

6) Has the largest cargo capacity in it's class, it can take a standard Euro pallet in it's tub, Triton, d40 and Hilux cannot.

[gerhard]

^^

At last, a post from one who has not choked on the Toyota reliability rhetoric

I've had my Jackaroo (Isuzu Trooper) for 11.5 years now, and it is the best screwed together vehicle I've ever owned. Oozes strength and confidence, with diffs that don't break (unlike Toyota diffs), radiator fan doesn't dig into the radiator on a water crossing (unlike Toyota), suspension and brake rotor bolts that don't break or undo themselves (unlike Toyotas), wheel nuts don't undo themselves (unlike Patrols), engines don't explode with modest use (unlike Patrols)........

It's not perfect, but closer than most

Back on topic, I hope the Amarok has been engineered in such a way as to allow a snorkel to be fitted. I view a snorkel as an essential accessory if you want to go off-roading, Cape York, etc.

[WABIT]

i want one to put air ride on it and tow my jet ski

dom

[Oneofthegreats]

4) Hilux's are reliable???? Are you kidding??? This is for the comparable diesel model.

120,000kms: Variable vane stepper motor fails or position sensor fails causing the turbo to fail and the car to go into limp mode. Minimum $5500 in parts alone and 2 days labour minimum.
Master cylinder on brakes starts to lose pressure.
Synchros in manual gearbox wear out.
Inspection plate on gearbox isn't sealed, gearboxes fill with water, dust and mud.

If you think Toyota's are bad!

Maybe I should start filling everyone one in how how bad current VW's models are!

I know who would win this!

[mrpayne]

I've been reading through this post with quite some amusement

To clarify a few points for people:
............................
Triton, d40 and Hilux cannot.

Pretty sure I saw pretty much that same quote on the Amarok information on caradvice.com.au.

Gav gets around

[gavs]

If you think Toyota's are bad!

Maybe I should start filling everyone one in how how bad current VW's models are!

I know who would win this!

Please, feel free mate. I'm not an owner of a new VW so I wouldn't know. I know I have problems with my own VW, but a few fault codes and some failed plastics on my car can't compare to the work that has to constantly go into the several Hiluxes in our company fleet.

I'm just putting it out there that everyone is comparing a vehicle that isn't even released yet to another that people think is the ducks guts, which it isn't.

I know, from personal experience with several of the current model Hilux that they are frankly a heap of crap. Toyota rushed through it's development because they got scared about Nissan beating them to the punch with the new European designed D40 Navara, which is even worse than the Toyota for reliability! My last car was a Hilux of the previous model shape and all I ever had was trouble with it. yet, my best friend who has an 80 series Landcruiser has never had a problem with his Toyota, even after drowning it more than once.

Like I said, it's clever marketing on Toyota's part. Just like the old "...built Ford tough...." campaign for the old courier, which was just a re-badged mazda!

Pretty sure I saw pretty much that same quote on the Amarok information on caradvice.com.au.

Gav gets around

Gav also might or might not work for a company that VAG GMbH has approached about accessories for said new dual cab ute....

[funkamedic]

i want one to put air ride on it and tow my jet ski

dom

[GoLfMan]

now THATS how they should come out of the factory