Wolfsburg - Volkswagen has shared the first teaser sketch of its second-generation Amarok bakkie, which is likely to hit the market around 2022.
Although the final product won’t look as radical as this rendering, it does give us our first proper indication of where the company is heading with the design of its new double cab. With slimmer headlights and a broader grille, there is some resemblance to modern VW SUVs such as the T-Roc and Touareg.
But the changes beneath the skin will be more radical, with the new Amarok set to share its underpinnings with the next-generation Ford Ranger through an alliance that was announced early last year.
Ford will engineer and build the new Amarok for Volkswagen, and it will be primarily aimed at Europe, Southern Africa and South America.
It’s not clear at this stage whether the new Amarok will use Ford’s new 2-litre turbodiesel engine, or stick with its own TDI unit. It could make some sense, however, for the German carmaker to donate its 3.0 V6 TDI unit to the next Ranger Raptor and any possible VW equivalent.
As part of the deal, Ford will also build large commercial vans for both companies, while VW’s new Caddy is likely to spawn Ford variants. VW is also expected to share its new MEB electric car platform with Ford.
IOL Motoring
Click here
to sign up for the IOL Motoring Newsletter and receive all the latest motoring news and launch reports, industry insights, car reviews and motorsport gossip in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.