Frankfurt show: VW reveals more powerful V6 Amarok

VOLKSWAGEN has revealed the 190kW Amarok Aventura Exclusive V6 concept ahead of its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show next week, effectively announcing its intentions to remain the most powerful one-tonne ute on the market.

The 190kW Mercedes-Benz X-Class V6 diesel arrives on Australian shores early next year, and Volkswagen Australia general manager corporate communications Paul Pottinger told GoAuto that the company is keen on keeping the Amarok at the front of the pack in terms of output.

“We’re conscious of what ostensible rivals will have (in terms of power output),” he said. “We’re very keen to remain top dog.”

Mr Pottinger added that while a more potent version of the Amarok is likely to come, it still remained to be seen whether it will come with the Aventura nameplate.

The Aventura name has been trademarked by VW in Australia since 2015 and is not up for renewal until 2022.

The show car comes finished in a Tumeric Yellow Metallic paint colour, and rides on 19-inch Milford alloy wheels.

Chrome highlights feature on the side sills, sports bar, lower grille, door mirrors and rear bumper, while the cargo area is covered by a lockable, waterproof cargo bed cover in an aluminium design.

Inside, the Aventura gets leather upholstery with Tumeric yellow stitching, 14-way adjustable seats, three-spoke leather steering wheel with paddle shifters, black roof liner and further chrome highlights.

Volkswagen did not specify whether the Amarok’s torque figure would be raised from the current 550Nm, the same figure as Mercedes’ V6 X-Class.

Also on show at Frankfurt will be a special-edition Amarok Dark Label, which has surfaced in Australian showrooms in years past.

It was last available in a limited run of 300 units in 2015, offering a number of dark-coloured visual touches.

Based on the Comfortline spec level, the new Dark Label is finished in Indium Grey matte paint colour, and adds black side steps, matte black sports bar, lacquered chrome strips in the front grille, matte black door handles, ‘Dark Label’ logos and Rawson 18-inch anthracite alloy wheels.

At Frankfurt the Dark label will be shown with two different V6 engine configurations – a 120kW/rear-wheel-drive version and a 150kW/all-wheel drive, both with six-speed manuals.

If the Dark Label V6 came to Australia it would be in the form of the all-wheel drive, 165kW version currently on offer, which employs an eight-speed automatic transmission, however a six-speed manual is also on the way.

It could alternatively be offered as a four-pot special edition, as with previous Dark Labels.

Mr Pottinger said Volkswagen was always open to taking special editions in Australia.

“With Amarok, we’re open to any and all variants, particularly special editions,” he said.

“The passenger vehicle side of Volkswagen really embraces special editions, you can see that with the GTI Original coming and the Golf R Grid, so that also applies to the other side of the business – commercial vehicles, which Amarok forms a part.”

The Frankfurt show kicks off on September 12.