Volkswagen marked the UK launch of its new Amarok truck with a rather unusual demonstration, using four pickups to demolish a gigantic, 67-meter (220 feet) tall steel chimney weighing in at around 140 tons. To complete a job that would normally have been done by a 40-ton excavator, structural engineers and demolition experts meticulously planned the task, undertaking a series of tests to see if the Amaroks had the necessary power and traction to do the job.
The structure was prepared using a standard procedure of flame cutting a “shark’s mouth” at the base of the chimney in order to reduce its structural integrity while ensuring that it remained free standing. The cars were fitted with a “quick release” safety mechanism for the towing ropes to ensure the safety of the stunt drivers in case the structure fell in the wrong direction.
When everything was set, four standard Amarok pickups fitted with the standard 163HP 2.0-liter TDI engine simultaneously pulled four 200-meter long ropes attached to the top of the chimney and successfully brought the structure down to its knees – or so to speak. The VW Amarok officially launches in Britain on May 9 as a four-door doublecab, with a starting price of £21,343 ($35,300).
Scroll down to watch the VW Amarok making its powerful entry on the UK market.
By Dan Mihalascu
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