VW Amarok reaches Australian sales milestone

Volkswagen’s Amarok ute has reached a landmark in Australia, with the 100,000th unit sold since it was introduced to the local market in 2010. To mark the occasion, the purchaser of the 100,000th Amarok also received their choice of factory accessories.

The milestone vehicle, an Amarok Style TDI 600 (aka Style V6) with the 3.0-litre V6 engine, was sold by Pickerings Auto Group of Townsville to Peta Wilson, a returning customer of the Queensland dealership.

Courtesy of Volkswagen, Ms Wilson also received her choice of Amarok accessories free of charge. She selected roof bars, a roof top tent, bonnet protector, snorkel, dual battery system and smart power outlet, which represented a combined value of almost $9,000.

“This is a milestone achievement for our Australian sales champion,” said Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Ryan Davies of the 100,000th Amarok sale.

“The new generation Amarok was designed and engineered with Australian conditions as the foremost consideration.

“The design team spent several years located in this country to better understand requirements. While sales are reflecting that the newer truck has ‘picked up’ where the previous one left off, we have even greater ambitions for this pillar of Volkswagen’s Australian business.”

The Amarok was introduced to Australia in 2010, offering multiple trim levels and a choice of four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive but initially only one drivetrain – a 2.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder and six-speed manual. A 2.0-litre turbo petrol four was added in 2011, with a dual cab chassis introduced later that year. Single cab bodies were added in 2013, along with the option of an eight-speed automatic transmission. This was part of an expansion of the Amarok range locally that saw Trendline, Highline and Ultimate grades offered. The ‘Canyon’ special edition was introduced in late 2013, followed by a ‘Tradie’ pack a year later and the ‘Dark Label’ special edition in 2015.

In 2017, Amarok become the first mass production ute to be equipped with a turbo diesel V6. This, combined with superior handling, saw the Amarok set a benchmark for performance and dynamics. Australia has since become the home of the Amarok V6, which has outsold the four-cylinder versions by as much as nine to one.

Typically, Australian customers have favoured the higher end Amarok grades, too. In terms of the second-generation that launched here in 2023, the Style V6 that has proven to be the most popular with Aussie buyers.