Volkswagen & Walkinshaw unveil Amarok W580X

VOLKSWAGEN and Walkinshaw have continued their recently forged partnership and revealed the second vehicle to emerge from their collaboration: The Ranger Raptor-baiting Amarok W580X.

Whereas the first W580 was conceived and developed as a ‘GT-ute’ with on-road-performance being the name of the game, the W580X goes in the other direction and is aimed squarely at off-road use.

Powered by the same 190kW/580Nm turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine as the rest of the high-end Amaroks, the W580X has been fitted out with 18-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres, raised front suspension, MTV twin-tube dampers at all four corners, custom bash plates, rock sliders, Seikel underbody protection and diff breathers.

A snorkel will also be optionally available, while the only transmission choice will be the familiar eight-speed ZF automatic.

To further help set it apart from its road-biased stablemate and the rest of the Amarok range, the W580X brandishes a unique front grille, extended wheelarches and LED light bar.

With first deliveries not due to commence until April next year, neither VW or Walkinshaw have revealed the W580X’s pricing just yet, though they have started to detail the key standard kit highlights away from the off-road enhancements.

Walkinshaw-branded Art Velour seat trim, heated front seats, bi-xenon headlamps, dual-zone climate control, Discover infotainment system with navigation, tyre pressure monitoring and rubber floor mats will all be included out of the box.

According to Volkswagen Group Australia national marketing and product manager Nick Reid, the first W-Series was a chance to offer “something that no-one else in the market could do”.

“With the new W580X, our W-Series Off-Road Amarok, we can lean in to another aspect of the Amarok's platform,” he said.

“We know the Amarok is among the best off-roaders around in standard form, but with Walkinshaw giving it a unique tune, we’ll be able to offer something unbeatable to Australian customers.”

Much like the standard W580, the W580X is expected to be offered in limited numbers, although its creators are yet to confirm exactly how many will materialise.

Using the road-going version as a basis, the W580X is expected to carry a starting price of around $73,000 before on-roads on the account of its numerous bolt-on modifications.

Volkswagen sold 3924 Amaroks across the first six months of this year, accounting for 3.9 per cent of the ever-popular 4x4 ute segment.