The Amarok is Volkswagen's answer to the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and Mitsubishi L200 for the European market. It was first released in 2010 and received a facelift for the 2017 model year, which brought a new range-topping V6 diesel engine. The 3.0-liter TDI under the hood now has 255 horsepower (190 kilowatts) and 428 pound-feet (580 Newton-meters) of torque, available between 1,400-3,250 rpm, versus 221 hp (165 kW) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) before the facelift.
With so much power on tap, it's not a surprise the Amarok is one of the most capable small pickups in the world. It's actually so good, it can pull a 49-tonne tram, as this new promo video of the model proudly claims. It's made by Volkswagen's Hungarian division and is filmed in Debrecen, the second largest city in the country after the capital Budapest.
The flagship V6 diesel motor is available for the higher Highline and Aventura models of the Amarok. The two can be differentiated from the rest of the lineup by their black exterior accents, Nappa leather, and high-gloss 20-inch wheels. Depending on the market and the selected trim, you can also get bi-xenon headlights with LED DRLs, a body-colored sports bar, automatic headlights and wipers, cornering fog lights, and electric folding mirrors.
In fact, the TDI engine is even more powerful, as it can deliver a grand total of 268 hp (200 kW) for short periods of time at the driver's disposal. The power is channeled to all four wheels through the company's 4Motion AWD system and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
In Germany, the Amarok V6, which shares its engine with the Volkswagen Touareg, is available with a starting price of €51,384 (approximately $63,500 at current exchange rates) for the Highline and €58,072 ($71,800) for the Aventura trim.
