First look: Volkswagen uncovers Amarok SingleCab

IT WAS only a matter of time before Volkswagen revealed an even more utilitarian single-cab derivative of its game-changing Amarok pick-up, and that’s precisely what it has now done at this week’s IAA Commercial Vehicles Fair in Hannover.

Presented at the German trade show as a concept ‘study’, the Amarok SingleCab workhorse surfaces with a 90kW TDI turbo-diesel engine with BlueMotion technology, reducing fuel consumption from a class-leading 7.4 litres per 100km to an even more frugal 6.9L/100km.

Otherwise, the single-cab Amarok two-door seen at Hannover should transfer directly into a production model that will follow the dual-cab Amarok four-door five-seater on to the Australian market next year.

The dual-cab Amarok makes its Australian debut at the Sydney motor show on October 15, before going on sale here early in 2011.

Both models will come initially only with diesel power and a manual transmission but, as we’ve reported, a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine will also be offered alongside two diesel engine choices next year, before an automatic transmission eventually joins the range.

Volkswagen has so far announced only basic details of the SingleCab, which will be built alongside the dual-cab in Argentina and goes on sale in Europe in the first half of next year, but its longer tray will be extended to 2.2 metres long without any change to the vehicle’s overall length.

According to Volkswagen, that is enough to store two ‘Europa’-size pallets one behind the other, matching the load-lugging ability of single-cab stalwarts such as Toyota’s HiLux, which will be upgraded this year, and fresh entrants like the all-new Australian-engineered Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50, which will make their world debuts in Sydney.

Volkswagen also used the Hannover commercial show to unveil fuel-saving BlueMotion and off-road-oriented Rockton versions of its Transporter, neither of which are destined for release in Australia at this stage.

The German giant says the Amarok has so far found about 8000 new homes in its launch year, but reveals it has a further 40,000 orders from international markets for the South American-made ute.

That has helped Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VCV) to an 18 per cent sales increase to the end of August this year, when VW expects to beat its previous sales record of 447,000 light commercial vehicles, set in 2008.

“Overall, we are pleased with the course of 2010 so far. For us, the crisis in the light commercial vehicles markets has been overcome”, said Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, speaker for the VCV board on September 21.

Most recently, VW Commercial launched the all-new Caddy and 4Motion versions of the updated T5 Transporter Van, Transporter Dual Cab Chassis and Multivan people-mover.

GoAuto drove both vehicles in Europe earlier this month and while the all-wheel drive GP-series Transporter range is already on sale here, the redesigned Caddy will be the next new VW LCV to arrive in Australia, in December.