VW Exec Confirms Interest In An Amarok-Based SUV

Try to count the number of new vehicles that Volkswagen has in the pipeline and you will probably need an abacus.

It’s not only the next Polo or the latest-gen CC and the large batch of electric cars tipped to debut next decade, but possibly an Amarok-based SUV as well, according to Volkswagen Group Australia’s (VGA) Commercial Vehicles Director, Carlos Santos, cited by Motoring.

“There is some very serious development at the moment for an SUV based on Amarok, which will be quite a large passenger vehicle. It’s not confirmed yet, but it’s been going on since the start of Amarok“, Santos said.

While the pickup truck isn’t offered in the United States, the as-of-yet unnamed SUV will be developed as a global model, with seven seats, and could be sold on this side of the pond as well, if everything goes as planned.

When it comes to the powertrain lineup, it will likely gain the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 TDI as the facelifted Amarok, where it is offered with 161 HP, 201 HP or 221 HP, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or an 8-speed automatic and the optional 4Motion AWD system.

“The discussion has been reignited because obviously this V6 engine is able to be sold in the US. The 2.0-liter would never get into the States, but the V6 is the same as the one in the Cayenne and Touareg, and is a well proven engine“, Santos added.

An exact date for when officials within the German brand will sit down to discuss the future of the possible Amarok-based SUV is unknown.