Volkswagen Amarok 2012 News

US owners of VW cars with diesel engines that can cheat emissions tests have already been given $500, but local owners still have no compensation.

Three weeks after the global scandal broke, Australian owners of VW diesel cars finally know if their car is affected or not.

Comfortable with khakis and work boots, they're usually sensible enough to avoid the tutu and frou-frou of concept car bolt-ons. So VW has been sensibly restrained in giving Amarok ute a style makeover for Geneva. The Amarok Canyon is supposed to inspire believable outdoorsy lust, specifically around freestyle kayaking. For most purposes, you should ignore the carbon fibre watercraft bolted into the tray and concentrate on the features that could conceivably make it onto a 'tough truck' special. The Canyon sits higher and wider than the production Amarok, with its body lifted 40mm with a kit, and massive 275/65 R 18 all-terrain tyres raising it another 45mm - and forcing the wheel housings to be widened by 35mm. Side tread plates give you a step up into the Canyon, and then retract to allow for better offroading angles. It carries the Amarok's 2.0-litre biturbo diesel engine with an identical 400Nm of torque but the power boosted 12kW to 132kW, getting it to all four corners with the Volkswagen '4MOTION' all-wheel drive system, standard rear differential lock and off-road gear reduction. The cabin gets a two-tone leather fit-out and extra instruments to show climbing and tilt angles. Exterior kit includes a row of roof spotlights, black wheels and roll bar painted in 'Adamantium' - the fictional substance responsible for Wolverine's claws - and an orange body paint job that should be easily spotted by rescue helicopters. For the most part, it wouldn't look out of place - and could take pride of place -- at any rural rodeo. Unfortunately, while the design department was realistic about the concept car, the marketing office went into overdrive with a puff piece asking you to picture an eager drive to a mountain canyon and into the adventurous promise of wild river rapids. Wasn't that the opening scene of Deliverance?  

Volkswagen Australia head Anke Koeckler confirms they would like to get the production version of the little Up here as soon as possible."We are still working on this but we are keen enough to get it out within the next two years," Koeckler says. "Better earlier than later, because I think there is a demand."Motor shows over the past four years have seen a string of Up concepts: rear-drive boxer engine, hybrid and electric versions with hatchback, convertible and multi-purpose bodies. However the production version that will be unveiled at Frankfurt motor show in September is set to have a super-frugal three-cylinder engine, and will seat four - cosily, we imagine - in a tiny three-door hatch body.Koeckler says that while the segment is still in its infancy, the Up might attract attention overall to the city car option."We have not a lot of competition still in this segment, but I think a lot of customers might like this segment once we have the Up to offer," she says. "And in launching this car in the Australian market, the strong currency might help us to get the positive answer from our headquarters."In the meantime, while Koeckler looks forward to plugging gaps at the other end of the Volkswagen line-up by adding new versions of the Amarok ute, she says firm timing has still not been set."We are working on having the single-cab Amarok, as we promised already during our launch and we might have this car actually by next year," she says. "We are working also on automatic versions, because we know we have to have the full range for the Amarok. But I can't give you any feedback on dates to be honest."The near future will focus on the new Touareg arriving in July, which Koeckler says will boost flagging sales of the SUV, which has suffered supply problems."We didn't have the production," she says. The current model Volkswagen Australia has been selling was out of stock production some time ago, and dealers have been able to work with only the remaining stockpile. "But there's not a lot of stock left. And I can tell you we are getting a lot of requests asking when the new Touareg is coming."