A high-ranking VW executive says an Amarok-based SUV remains a “long-desired wish”, though it appears unlikely to materialise before the bakkie’s 3rd generation…
- Amarok-based 7-seater SUV back on the cards
- VW built prototype SUV based on original Amarok
- 3rd-gen bakkie to provide base for new SUV?
The head of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has suggested the idea of an Amarok-based SUV is back on the table, though it seems unlikely to materialise before the German brand’s bakkie enters its 3rd generation.
Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, told Australian publication GoAuto that a 7-seater adventure SUV based on the Amarok was a “long-desired wish”, revealing that the company had even created a secret prototype SUV based on the original (VW-built) version of the bakkie.
“To extend the model range is a long-desired wish, I would say … in particular, this rugged or closed pick-up, for instance, as we would call it, where you have the same platform as the pickup – an SUV but based on a pick-up platform, a ladder-frame car,” Mecha said, according to the publication.
“So far, we could never land it and as we said, I think to build such a car for one market, that’s not going to work, so you need more scale,” he added, explaining that “financially, it never worked out” and that the “economics never made us bring this car to life”.
Still, the high-ranking executive – who had held senior positions with VW in the Middle East, Brazil, Russia, China and indeed right here in South Africa – reportedly told GoAuto that the 3rd-generation Amarok had already been given the green light, with a 7-seater SUV version thus potentially back on the cards.
As a reminder, the current (2nd) generation Amarok is produced by Ford in South Africa alongside the closely related Ranger. And, of course, the Blue Oval brand already offers a Ranger-based SUV in the form of the Thai-built Everest. Still, Mecha confirmed that the Wolfsburg-based brand’s current agreement with Ford did not include the Everest.
“We focused on the pick-up solely, so this is [not something] that we have tackled so far. But again, the [SUV] remains an interesting concept, no doubt,” he said, adding that though VW and Ford were discussing the possibility of again partnering for the 3rd-gen Amarok, there was “nothing concrete, nothing tangible” about an SUV.
Back in January 2024, Albert Kirzinger, Head of Design at VW Commercial Vehicles, posted an intriguing sketch of an Amarok-based SUV (shown in this article’s lead image above) on his LinkedIn page, suggesting that the rendering was from an earlier research stage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is Volkswagen developing an SUV based on the Amarok platform?
A: While Volkswagen executives have confirmed that a 7-seater ladder-frame SUV remains a “long-desired wish”, no production model has been approved for the current generation. VW Commercial Vehicles CEO Stefan Mecha revealed that while a secret prototype was created during the first-generation Amarok’s lifecycle, bringing it to market was shelved due to financial and scale constraints.
Q: Why doesn’t Volkswagen currently offer a rival to the Ford Everest?
A: Although the second-generation Amarok shares its platform with the Ford Ranger and is built alongside it at Ford’s factory in South Africa, Volkswagen’s strategic agreement with Ford specifically excluded the Ranger-based Everest SUV. As a result, VW focused exclusively on the bakkie variant.
Q: When could an Amarok-based SUV potentially launch?
A: An Amarok SUV is unlikely to materialise before the bakkie enters its third generation. With the third-generation Amarok already given the green light, Volkswagen is keeping the rugged 7-seater SUV concept on the table for future consideration as broader platform and partnership details are finalised.
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