02:15PM - 02.05.'16
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News Source: autoblog.com
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If there's one model Volkswagen should consider bringing to our side of the Atlantic, it's the Amarok. The German automaker's commercial vehicles division has rolled out updates to its four-door pickup that only make that belief stronger. Chief among them: its new, more powerful engine. A mild cosmetic update brings the Amarok's styling more in line with the company's latest models. The facelift features new lights, bumpers, air vents, wheels, and assorted other components. It's not quite as tough-looking as its predecessor, but it does have a clean design, encompassing new bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, 20-inch wheels, upgraded brakes, and a revised interior complete with a new dashboard and more-ergonomic seats. What really piques interest, though, is the new six-cylinder diesel engine. Slotting in where the Amarok previously only offered inline-fours, the new 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel makes 221 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, driving either the rear wheels or all four through an eight-speed automatic transmission and Torsen differential. That represents a significant bump over the 178 hp and 310 lb-ft churned out by the 2.0-liter TDI four in the top-of-the-line Amarok Canyon we drove a coupe of years ago, making the new Amarok an even more compelling choice. That is, if we had that choice to make, and if we could get past the diesel emissions scandal from which VW is still reeling. |
