New VW Amarok to debut in South Africa this weekend – Details

VW has announced that a new Amarok will make an appearance at this year’s Festival of Motoring, which is taking place this weekend at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Gauteng.

More specifically, the German carmaker will showcase the 222kW Amarok, which is the only version of the bakkie to feature a petrol engine.

This is not the first time that VW has hinted at the petrol Amarok either, as the model has been in a state of limbo for well over a year.

Back at the start of 2024, the company announced that the new pickup would make its debut in the second half of that year.

However, the clocked ticked over to the final quarter of the year with no update from VW, raising questions as to whether the model’s launch had been cancelled.

Volkswagen later confirmed in October 2024 that the petrol version had been put on indefinite hold.

This meant that the model hadn’t been cancelled, but that the vehicle wouldn’t be making an appearance anytime soon either.

The stated reason is that VW’s marketing team had concluded there was not enough demand at the time to justify the car’s introduction.

It appears that this decision has since been reversed, as the petrol Amarok is now set to appear at the country’s biggest motoring festival alongside the brand’s other new products.

“Alongside the new Golf GTI, Volkswagen will showcase the all-new Tayron, the bold Polo GTI Black Style, the limited-edition Polo Vivo 15 Edition, and the ever-versatile all-new Transporter and the powerful 222kW Amarok,” the company stated in an official press release.

It’s important to note that VW has not yet stated whether the Amarok will actually be sold in South Africa, but it’s hard to imagine why the automaker would tease audiences with the new model only to tell them that they won’t be getting it.

A new Amarok for a new market trend

Petrol bakkies are a rare sight in South Africa where diesel is seen as the go-to fuel source for 4x4s.

Diesel typically provides a lower fuel consumption and a greater torque-to-power ratio, making it ideal for long-distance driving and towing.

That being said, there is a growing market for petrol models, particular from consumers searching for high-end units with a more responsive driving profile.

VW previously stated that this is the demographic it is trying to appeal to with the new Amarok, which is already one of the more luxurious pickups on the market.

It features a 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which puts out a total of 222kW and 452Nm.

This is the same powertrain used by the Ford Ranger in other markets, which is hardly surprising given that the Ranger and Amarok are both made at the Blue Oval’s Silverton factory in Pretoria.

Interestingly, the Ranger is not sold with the 2.3l block in South Africa, as the flagship Raptor is the only version available with a petrol engine.

That being said, Ford South Africa does use the 2.3l mill in the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ranger, which is exclusively manufactured for export and is not sold locally.

VW has not stated whether it will introduce a PHEV version of the Amarok, though we wouldn’t be surprised if one shows up in the future as part of the company’s gradual shift to electric vehicles.

It’s also unclear which trim level the petrol engine will be sold with, but considering its premium status, it’s possible it’ll be found on the range-topping Aventura.

More information will be revealed once the 222kW Amarok goes on display at the Festival of Motoring this weekend.