VW is currently making plans to introduce a new petrol engine to its Amarok roster, which should arrive in South Africa in the second half of 2024.
Ryan Gillingham, a product marketing specialist for VW’s domestic subsidiary, said the company is currently investigating the price and model positioning of the new powertrain, but that it is keen to introduce a petrol option to appeal to the growing high-performance bakkie segment.
“We are still negotiating price positioning, but the earliest introduction will be in the second half of the year,” VW South Africa told local publication CARmag.
“Performance and image are key drivers for Double Cab buyers. The Double Cab category is showing a growing appeal for high-performance bakkies because of the premiumisation of the product offering. We are exploring this as part of our business case. ”
An emerging market
The engine in question will take the form of a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit capable of putting out 222kW and 452Nm.
For reference, the South African Amarok has been available with four turbo-diesel plants since it came onto the market in March 2023, with the headline 3.0-litre V6 generating 184kW and 600Nm.
The petrol block is already available in other markets such as Australia, where it can be found on the range-topping Aventura – the more urban-oriented of the bakkie’s two flagship models.
Like the other engine choices, the 2.3-litre petrol is paired with a selectable 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and a 10-speed automatic gearbox with a low-range transfer case.
Naturally, the incoming powertrain has a higher fuel consumption than its diesel alternatives, as the petrol has an official usage figure of 9.9l/100km compared to the diesel V6’s 8.4l/100km.
Interestingly, Ford is also planning to introduce the 2.3-litre engine for its Ranger series in South Africa this year, though it will function very differently from the Amarok’s in practice.
This is because the Blue Oval plans to pair the petrol plant with a plug-in hybrid battery system which will be built at its Silverton Plant following a R5.2 billion investment to expand its production capabilities.
Volkswagen, on the other hand, is clearly thinking of a very different demographic with its new model, because while the new Ranger will focus on fuel economy and act as a stepping stone in the brand’s gradual conversion to all-electric platforms, the incoming Amarok will instead be taking aim at the high-performance 4×4 segment.
There aren’t very many petrol double cabs in South Africa, with a few examples being the Jeep Gladiator, the 4.0-litre V6 Toyota Hilux, the Ineos Quartermaster, and the Ford Ranger Raptor.
All of these fall towards the premium end of the bakkie spectrum, and with the 2.3-litre plant being reserved for the Amarok Aventura, it’s likely that the new model will retail for over R1 million.
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