Volkswagen's new pickup to have distinctly international flavor
Volkswagen has given its new pickup a distinctly international flavor by naming it Amarok, absolutely not to be confused with Anorak. Amarok is the Inuit word for wolf. In icy northern Canada and Greenland the wolf is much respected by the Inuit people who regard it as the king of the wilderness.
We are invited to believe that qualities for which the wolf is renowned such as strength and endurance, and an unwillingness to come second best, are to be found in spades in the Amarok. And like the wolf, the Volkswagen Amarok is happy off road.
What’s in a name? Even more in this case. Amarok also means “he loves stones” in the Romance languages, spoken in Brazil and Argentina where the Volkswagen pickup is expected to sell strongly.
'This name fits to a tee the characteristics of our pickup, which will set new standards in its class. 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,' says Stephan Schaller, CEO of the brand Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
The Amarok will be produced in Argentina at Volkswagen's 'Pacheco' plant near Buenos Aires and will make its international debut in South America in the third quarter of 2010 with European deliveries to follow.
Volkswagen will use its Amarok to wrest market share from Japanese brands which currently dominate the international pickup market.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles already presented an impressive concept truck at last year's IAA Commercial Vehicles, providing a taste of the brand's new fourth model.
The Amarok is the first pickup of this kind from a European manufacturer and will face competition in the one-tonne class mostly from Asia. The sixth model from the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand, which follows the Caddy, Transporter (or Multivan) and Crafter as well as the Saveiro and T2, both of which are available exclusively in South America, is a significant component in the Volkswagen Group's growth strategy and opens a new segment for Volkswagen. Schaller comments, 'The Amarok lifts our brand into a new, even more international dimension. 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.'
Developed from scratch, the Amarok will be launched as a double-cab pickup with four-wheel drive. The single-cab version will be available at a later date. The pickup features not only state-of-the-art, robust engineering but also efficient engines and current Volkswagen styling. The concept car shown at the IAA gives a first impression. State-of-the-art, powerful yet efficient common rail turbo diesel injection (TDI) of the next generation will be used in the powertrain. The fuel consumption and emissions for the Amarok will achieve the new best values for the pickup segment.
The Amarok is set be launched first in South America and Central America in Spring 2010, followed by Russia and Europe as well as Africa and Australia.
