Future Models - Volkswagen 2010 Amarok

Volkswagen names ute

Name games: Volkswagen has continued its wacky model name tradition by calling its new ute Amarok.

Just when you thought VW’s model names couldn’t get weirder, along comes Amarok

8 June 2009

By MARTON PETTENDY

FIRST came the Touareg SUV, which was recently joined by its smaller sibling, the Tiguan.

Now Volkswagen has continued its incongruous model naming convention by announcing its ground-breaking new dual-cab utility will be named the Amarok.

Said to mean “wolf” in the Inuit language spoken by Eskimos in northern Canada and Greenland, Amarok is claimed to symbolise the strength, robustness, endurance and superiority that Germany’s first direct rival for the likes of Toyota’s all-conquering HiLux promises.

Allegedly, while the Inuit regard the world as the king of the wilderness, Amarok also means “he loves stones” in the Romance languages spoken in Brazil and Argentina.

“This name fits to a tee the characteristics of our pickup, which will set new standards in its class,” said the CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Stephan Schaller.

“We took great care selecting this name, which can be used globally. The Amarok is meant to invoke positive associations in all relevant international markets and make a more convincing argument than its established competitors right from the start,” he said.

Either way, the production Amarok will be unveiled later this year and is expected to be 95 per cent faithful to the Robust Pick-Up concept that made its Australian debut in Melbourne this year.

It will go on sale first in South America and Central America in early 2010, before arriving in the major global utility markets of Russia, Europe and Australia, and then Europe by mid-year.

First presented at the Frankfurt motor show last September, the Amarok will be Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ sixth model after the Caddy, Transporter/Multivan and Crafter, as well as the Saveiro and T2 available exclusively in South America.

Volkswagen Group has high hopes for the first pick-up to emerge from a major European car-maker, which will be manufactured in Argentina at Volkswagen's Pacheco plant near Buenos Aires.

Volkswagen has also revealed that while the Amarok will first be released in four-wheel drive twin-cab configuration, a single-cab body style will also be developed – powered by next-generation versions of VW’s common-rail turbo-diesel injection (TDI) engines.

“The Amarok lifts our brand into a new, even more international dimension,” continued Mr Schaller. “Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is proud to develop, build and sell this vehicle, which is extremely important for the growth of the entire group and constitutes a logical strategic addition to the global range.”

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