A high-ranking Volkswagen designer has released an intriguing sketch of an Amarok SUV, reigniting speculation that VW will offer a twin to the Ford Everest…
The head of design at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has released an intriguing sketch of an Amarok SUV, reigniting earlier rumours that the Wolfsburg-based automaker will offer a twin to the Ford Everest.
As a reminder, the 2nd-generation Amarok is based on the Ranger bakkie (and built by the Blue Oval brand at its Silverton facility here in South Africa). Since the Everest is underpinned by the same ladder-frame platform, a VW-badged version of the adventure SUV is hardly beyond the realm of possibility.
Albert Kirzinger, Head of Design at VW Commercial Vehicles, published the sketch on his LinkedIn page, though hinted the rendering was actually from an earlier research stage (still, his use of the words “sneak peek” is interesting in this context).
“Exploring design ideas for the Amarok pickup truck! Our research phase back in the day took us on an off-road journey, and here’s a sneak peek with a rendering featuring a fully closed pickup bed. Ready for rugged adventures!” Kirzinger wrote in the LinkedIn post.
The design sketch shows an Amarok-based SUV kitted out with various off-roading accessories, including a snorkel, BFGoodrich all-terrain tyres (wrapped round large alloy wheels), red-painted recovery points and a roof rack, the latter complete with auxiliary driving lights. The vehicle’s lower grille area is distinct from that of the Amarok, while the rear doors bizarrely appear to be missing their handles.
As an aside, the German company earlier suggested that an Everest-based SUV was off the table, before a high-ranking official admitted Europe’s upcoming stricter emissions regulations may well result in VW-badged version of Ford’s body-on-frame SUV – though with electric propulsion.
Could we end up seeing VW taking on established adventure SUVs – think Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, not to mention the Everest – with a 7-seater Amarok-based contender? Well, for now, Volkswagen is keeping its cards pretty close to its chest, but time will certainly tell…
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