Volkswagen Amarok with sporty handling launched in Australia

Volkswagen created the unusual Amarok W600 pickup truck in collaboration with the Australian company Walkinshaw Performance. The car will be sold in Australia and New Zealand. When creating this special version, engineers paid special attention to the car’s handling on asphalt, and not to its off-road qualities.

Key changes affected the car’s chassis: it was fitted with a completely new suspension from the renowned Koni company, tuned for more precise reactions and a smooth ride. The car received a reinforced anti-roll bar. Externally, Walkinshaw’s Amarok features 20-inch alloy wheels with Michelin tyres, fender flares and power running boards. The headrests and floor mats feature the Walkinshaw logo and the pedals feature aluminum pads.

Under the hood they left a standard 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel with 247 hp. and torque 600 Nm. A VW spokesman confirmed that the more powerful petrol engine from the Ford Ranger Raptor is not available for this model, although the sister pickup is equipped with a higher-performance twin-turbocharged petrol V6. This unit produces 392 hp. The official start of sales is scheduled for summer or early autumn 2026.