Manual transmission for Volkswagen V6 Amarok Core

VOLKSWAGEN Australia has finally announced the six-speed manual version of its Amarok V6, with the manual Core and Core Enduro both priced from $49,590 plus on-road costs.

Until January 31 however, VW are offering a special pre-order driveaway price of $48,990, inclusive of the $1200 Enduro accessories pack which adds black side decals, bonnet protector and black sports bars.

According to VW Commercial Vehicles Australia director Ryan Davies, off-roading enthusiasts have been begging for a manual Amarok for quite some time now.

“At every off-road, caravan and camping expo and Big Red Bash concert the team and I attend, we speak with current owners and members of the off-roading community who have begged us to bring an Amarok V6 manual to Australia,” he said.

“It was because of that passion that we were able to mount a case with our head office in Germany to build one and, based on Australia remaining the number one export market in the world for the V6 Amarok, we are finally able to offer this unique, Aussie-spec 'Rok.”

Not only was VW Australia pivotal in securing production of the manual Amarok, VW Australia communications general manager Paul Pottinger confirmed to GoAuto that Australia was the only market in the world being offered the new transmission.

Mechanically, the manual Amarok shares the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine as the rest of the V6 range, although maximum torque has been reduced from 550Nm to 500Nm while the 165kW of power (180kW on over-boost) remains unchanged.

Towing capacity has been reduced from 3500kg to 3000kg while standard equipment still includes Composition media with App-Connect, Park distance control with reversing camera, daytime running lights, 'Austin' cloth seat covering, front fog lamps, 17-inch 'Posadas' alloy wheels, heavy duty front and rear rubber floor coverings and a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel.

In addition to the transmission, all manual Amaroks will come fitted with a rear mechanical differential lock, low-range transfer case and new part-time all-wheel-drive system – automatic Amaroks feature full-time all-wheel-drive.

When the rear differential is locked it automatically deactivates the ABS and ESP systems which default to a more relaxed setting when off-road mode is activated via buttons on the centre console.

With the new low-range set-up comes an improved hill descent assist system which can nurse the vehicle down difficult or steep inclines at speeds of between two and 30km/h, adjustable via either the brakes or accelerator.

Last year VW sold 8304 Amarok 4x4s – down 755 units on 2018 (9,059) – which accounted for 4.9 per cent of the 4x4 pick-up market behind the fleet favourite Ford Ranger (37,004), Toyota HiLux (36,325) and Mitsubishi Triton (22,681).

“There’s no expectation of significant volume in this, more that we recognise that there remains a core of customers, especially off-road enthusiasts, for whom even the best calibrated automatic transmission is no substitute for a clutch pedal and low range,” Mr Pottinger said.

2020 Volkswagen Amarok V6 pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs