VW Confirms SA-Status of 222 kW Amarok

The Volkswagen Amarok was set to gain an all-new engine in its portfolio, but a change in plans put the South African introduction on hold.

amarok,vw,volkswagen

Image: Volkswagen Group Africa

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After plenty of hype has been built around it over the last 12 or so months, Volkswagen Group Africa confirmed that it will not launch the 222 kW petrol-powered Amarok in South Africa. Initially confirmed for a debut in 2024’s second half, a spokesperson for the automaker’s local arm said to CAR that:

“We have decided to put this engine on hold. We believe the current variants of our existing engines are suitable for our market.”

The earmarked 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine would have been the most powerful in the local Volkswagen Amarok line-up, eclipsing the 184 kW produced by the Ford-built 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel mill. However, the 2.3-litre unit’s torque is substantially down on the V6’s (600 N.m), coming in at 452 N.m. The engine is mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission, while Volkswagen’s 4Motion system channels power to the road.

Related: 222 kW Volkswagen Amarok Is On Its Way to SA!

Interestingly, this engine is already powering the South African-built Amarok in Australia. Ford South Africa will soon begin production of its PHEV (petrol-hybrid electric vehicle) Ranger. And while this bakkie is not yet confirmed for local introduction, it will employ the same 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, coupled with electric assistance.

The engines powering the South African Amarok range consist of the 2.0-litre single-turbodiesel (125 kW/405 N.m), the 2.0-litre biturbo-diesel (154 kW/500 N.m), and the aforementioned 3.0-litre V6.

Related: Potent Ford Ranger PHEV Power Figures Revealed!

amarok,vw,volkswagen

Image: Volkswagen Group Africa

Other Petrol-Powered Bakkies in SA

The list of petrol-powered bakkies is not as extensive as it once was, with only a handful of examples listed on South Africa’s new-car market. The Ford Ranger Raptor (from R1 226 700) is perhaps the most well-known petrol bakkie, with it being powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine. With 292 kW and 583 N.m on offer, it allows the performance-oriented bakkie to launch from 0-100 km/h in about 6.0 seconds.

The Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon (R1 364 900) is one of the wildest bakkies ever launched in SA. With its detachable panels, it creates a driving experience of note that is sure to leave its occupants begging for more. The naturally aspirated, 3.6-litre V6 engine is good for 209 kW/347 N.m.

Related: Review: Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster

jeep,gladiator

Image: Jeep SA

Toyota has two bakkies powered by its naturally aspirated, 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine. In the Land Cruiser 79 4.0 V6 (from R765 500), this engine is tuned to deliver 170 kW/360 N.m. The mill is also employed in the Hilux 4×4 Legend (R908 000), where power is upped slightly to 175 kW/376 N.m.

There is also the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster (from R1 717 100), which we sampled at the local launch in the Baviaanskloof. It is powered by a turbocharged BMW 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine that offers 210 kW/450 N.m. Despite its design and size, this bakkie can clear 100 km/h from standstill in 8.8 seconds, making it one of the quickest bakkies currently on sale in SA.

Browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag!

The post VW Confirms SA-Status of 222 kW Amarok appeared first on CAR Magazine.


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