Overview

VOLKSWAGEN has introduced its new range-topping Amarok V6 W600, an extensively re-engineered Walkinshaw model aimed at buyers wanting sports SUV-like road manners from a dual-cab ute while retaining the towing, payload, and (most of the) off-road capability of the donor vehicle.

Priced from $91,990 plus on-road costs, the W600 represents a considerably more involved program than the cosmetic enhancement packages often applied to high-end dual-cab utes, with Walkinshaw concentrating its development effort on suspension, tyres, chassis balance, and steering response.

The brief, according to Volkswagen and Walkinshaw, was straightforward – create the “ultimate driver’s ute”.

That philosophy reflects Volkswagen research showing Amarok owners are between 10 and 15 times more likely to drive on sealed urban roads and highways than off-road, while towing is used twice as often as four-wheel drive capability.

Driving feel and experience also ranked as the most important consideration among Amarok buyers.

Walkinshaw’s customer research similarly found driving feel, towing capability, and performance among the strongest purchase drivers, with performance valued between 20 and 25 per cent more highly by its customers than the broader ute segment average.

Importantly, the development brief stipulated there could be no reduction in towing or load-carrying capacity (even retaining the factory springs front and rear), while all Volkswagen safety and driver assistance systems were required to remain fully integrated and calibrated.

The result is a chassis package centred on combining Koni Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) and RAID dampers into a bespoke unit, custom tuned by Walkinshaw to provide greater body control on-road without sacrificing ride comfort or durability on rough surfaces.

The FSD system varies damping according to road frequency, while Koni’s heavier-duty RAID hardware uses larger-capacity, strengthened dampers designed to withstand more severe off-road punishment.

Walkinshaw has also added a newly developed 22mm rear anti-roll bar, something the standard Amarok does not offer, to improve rotational balance and reduce body roll.

It works in conjunction with substantially wider 20x10-inch Walkinshaw wheels wrapped in 285/50 profile Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres, selected primarily for steering response, predictable breakaway characteristics, and wet-weather performance.

The chassis modifications were developed as an integrated package rather than individual accessories, with additional mounting hardware engineered into the frame and the complete system subjected to durability, fatigue, and finite-element-analysis validation.

Under the bonnet, however, Walkinshaw has left Volkswagen’s V6 turbo-diesel untouched.

It continues to produce 184kW and 600Nm, driving through a 10-speed automatic transmission and Volkswagen’s permanent 4Motion system offering 2H, 4A, 4H and low-range 4L settings.

Maximum braked towing capacity remains 3500kg, while allowable payload is a useful 954kg. GVM is rated at 3350kg and GCM at 6400kg, with 237mm of ground clearance and an 800mm wading depth.

Visually, the W600 receives considerably more than badges and wheels.

Walkinshaw has developed an entirely new front-end treatment incorporating a unique upper grille, front fascia and inserts, headlight trims and an integrated LED position light, complemented by widened fender flares and a deliberately more planted stance.

Electrically deployable side steps retract beneath the body when not required, while a true dual exhaust system exits ahead of the right rear wheel through twin 3.5-inch Shadow Chrome outlets.

Walkinshaw badging, tailgate lettering, branded puddle lights, sill plates, floor mats, headrests, and stainless-steel sports pedals complete the transformation. The package comprises more than 20 individual exterior, chassis, electrical, and interior changes.

Inside, the W600 retains the Amarok’s high-grade specification with Savona leather upholstery, heated 10-way adjustable front seats, 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 12.0-inch infotainment system, alongside an impressive harman/kardon premium audio bundle.

Standard driver assistance equipment includes adaptive cruise control with Travel Assist, lane assist, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, side assist, and a 360-degree camera system with trailer manoeuvring and hitching assistance.

Five colours will be available including Clear White, Medium Silver Metallic, Midnight Black Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic, and Deep Red Metallic. The latter is a ‘Wildcard’ colour Volkswagen says will alternate with each passing model year.

Metallic paint adds $1100, while Volkswagen’s factory electric roller cover is a $3450 option.

Walkinshaw says three development vehicles completed approximately 2900km of Australian testing, encompassing sealed roads, fast gravel, rough tracks, potholes, chassis-twist exercises, water crossings, and towing at GVM. Pilot vehicles were also evaluated at the former Holden proving ground at Lang Lang, Victoria.

The W600 is engineered and re-manufactured locally by Walkinshaw under its Premium Partner relationship with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and retains full Volkswagen warranty and dealer support.

Volkswagen has also confirmed the W600 will serve as the official recovery ute of the Repco Supercars Championship, making its event debut at the Bathurst 1000 – an appropriately high-profile introduction for an Amarok conceived first and foremost around how it drives.

Driving Impressions

Tasmania’s tarmac rally roads are an ideal test bed for assessing the dynamic aptitude of sporty cars. Driven at pace, they demand a balletic chassis, accurate steering, powerful brakes and, perhaps most importantly, reassuring levels of grip.

On the face of it, then, they are hardly the natural habitat of a load-lugging, high-riding dual-cab ute; a vehicle type not generally renowned for polished handling.

Not being one to shy away from a challenge, I accepted the invitation to sample the Amarok W600 in earnest, keen to discover whether the hype and hyperbole surrounding Volkswagen’s latest flagship ute would indeed translate to the road.

It did not take long for the Amarok W600 to make its case…

While the primary ride can feel somewhat brusque, the trade-off is genuine SUV-like agility.

Leaving Hobart for faster, more flowing roads, the W600 quickly reveals impressive levels of adhesion where other utes might be expected to come unstuck.

The Amarok W600’s front-to-rear balance is difficult to fault. Even with an unladen tray, it remains impressively flat and composed, the newly introduced rear anti-roll bar curbing body roll and helping the ute point more precisely into corners.

By levelling the W600’s stance, Walkinshaw has reduced the Amarok’s tendency to bump steer, helping it remain more settled and predictable when the surface deteriorates.

The steering is not razor-sharp, but nor should it be; there is enough progression and compliance to preserve the Amarok’s usefulness for towing and light off-road work when required.

There are, however, a few areas where the W600 falls short of delivering the full performance-ute experience its chassis otherwise promises.

Chief among them is the absence of steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and a dedicated Sport mode.

Given the effort invested in sharpening the Amarok’s dynamics, their omission is conspicuous, particularly on faster roads where a quicker, more intuitive means of controlling gear selection would add another layer of driver involvement.

Manual selection is possible, but only via an annoying thumb toggle placed beside the gear selector.

There are also occasions when the W600 cannot entirely disguise its size and mass.

Its body control is impressive for a dual-cab ute, but in tighter or more demanding conditions the underlying heft remains apparent, reminding the driver that this is still a substantial ladder-frame utility rather than a conventional performance SUV.

More difficult to overlook is the lack of an uprated braking package.

With the W600 capable of carrying higher cornering speeds than the standard Amarok, stronger brakes would seem a logical complement to the suspension, tyre and chassis upgrades.

The standard system is adequate in normal use, but a more performance-focused set-up would better match the vehicle’s newfound dynamic ability.

Yet for all that, the W600 gets far more right than wrong.

Its greatest strength is the way it engages the driver without undermining the Amarok’s broader capabilities.

The chassis is composed, the grip abundant and the balance far more polished than might reasonably be expected of a high-riding dual-cab ute.

There is a genuine sense that Walkinshaw has worked with the Amarok’s fundamentals rather than against them, sharpening its responses without turning it into something brittle or one-dimensional.

It looks the part, too.

The broader stance, distinctive front-end treatment and carefully judged W-Series detailing give the W600 real presence without tipping into caricature.

The restrained exhaust note helps here as well, adding a subtle burble that brings a welcome sense of occasion without becoming intrusive.

Crucially, none of this comes at the expense of the Amarok’s core strengths.

Payload and 3500kg braked towing capacity are retained, while the cabin remains as calm, quiet and comfortable as before – an important distinction in a segment where dynamic upgrades can too easily compromise everyday refinement.

That combination makes the W600 an unusually convincing proposition. It is faster through a corner, more engaging from behind the ‘wheel, and more distinctive to look at – yet remains entirely usable as a working and touring ute.

Whether it quite earns the mantle of the “ultimate driver’s ute” is another question…

The chassis certainly gets close, but the absence of paddle shifters, a dedicated Sport mode, and a more serious braking package leaves just enough on the table to deny it a clean sweep.