Cape Town hosts the international launch of the all-new Amarok
December 2022
Fondly referred to as The Mother City, Cape Town recently welcomed motoring media from all parts of the world with the promise of spending time behind the wheel of the highly anticipated, all-new Volkswagen Amarok.
Built in Pretoria, a selection of the first batch of production units of the second-generation Amarok to leave the assembly line was made available for journalists to experience over the course a four, two-day-long event rotations held between 29 November and 6 December 2022.
Hosted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and using the refurbished Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West as a base, day one of the launch event saw attendees invited to choose between new Aventura and PanAmericana specifications for their respective first outings in the vehicle. Via these two pinnacle derivatives of the new Amarok customers will be afforded the choice of either sleek, executive styling – complete with 21-inch alloy wheels – or, as the name suggests, an altogether more off-road-focused, all-terrain look in the PanAmericana. Regardless of the application, top-of-the-range Amarok models are now powered by a 3.0 V6 TDI engine offering 184 kW and 600 N.m of torque.
Leaving Somerset West, the first scheduled stop on the route was a rendezvous point on the banks of the Eikenhofdam in Grabouw. Here, with braai (barbeque) meat being served for lunch, the surrounding terrain was used to demonstrate the inherent off-roading capabilities of the new vehicle. For this application, a selection of Amarok Style models, complete with 18-inch tyres, was on hand. This derivative features a 2.0 BiTDI engine mated with a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Including a low-range setting, several all-terrain driving modes can now be accessed via a conveniently sited rotary switch.
Back on the open road, a choice of two extended routes – one mountainous and the other following the False Bay coastline – led journalists back to Somerset West. Navigation was via the flagship Amarok’s crisp new, 12-inch portrait-style infotainment display.
The second day of the international media event saw the fleet continuing along the same coastline, this time via the popular “Surfer’s Corner” in Muizenberg and then the characterful Kalk Bay village, to Simonstown. After an optional visit to the famous penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach, the route rounded the Peninsula to include Scarborough and Misty Cliffs before a scheduled lunch stop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Point Vineyards.
Suitably well nourished, the convoy skirted the scenic Champan’s Peak Drive into Hout Bay before setting course for Cape Town’s popular V&A Waterfront. If the city hadn’t been well enough represented, to date, a final dinner on the rooftop of the world-class Zeitz MOCAA museum – with an Amarok on display in the gallery – provided an appropriate encore to proceedings.
Having sold more than 830 000 units of the first-generation Amarok since its introduction in 2010, the altogether more refined and purposeful second-generation vehicle is set continue the success story of Volkswagen’s “bakkie” offering into the foreseeable future.
The Amarok range will be launched into South Africa early in 2023.