Dual Cab

[phaeton]

I dont work on T6 any more so I didnt get to drive either vehicle so I cant say how they compare sorry

Cool

Can't wait to see T6 in person at AIMS along with Amarok

[flyingfridge]

They're making the right move engine wise. Petrol is pointless in the light commercial market now, I'm surprised they're even going to bother with the 2.0TSI, I doubt we'll sell many.

[gavs]

In all honesty why would you want to modify something with leaf springs and rear drum brakes?
IMO dual cab utes aimed at the "family" market should have rear coils (live axle) and discs.

All of the competition on the market run the same setup and it's not being aimed at the family market, hence why it's falling under the "Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles" department of the company, which is why they spent so much time and effort on the suspension geometry and the fact it is the ONLY dual cab ute that doesn't have a tray that can fit a standard euro pallet between the wheel arches.

To be honest guys, this thing kills both diesel navaras and hilux for performance, it even owns the petrol navara because of the stupid gearing in it! It's all well and good having power, but if your gear ratios and final drive are up the **** then power doesn't count for much.

Plus it returned a fuel figure of 6.5-7ltr per 100kms which was varied driving, hilux diesel returns 10-11lts per 100km. You hardly even hear the engine running when you're driving it and you would swear it's a petrol from the outside. When you get into a hilux after, it's like hoping into a 1970's John Deere tractor compared to this.

I personally hope it does well just to shut all of the hilux owners up who think that their piece of crap is the best thing out there. It's obviously got them all scared because Toyota have delayed the launch of their new Hilux since the Amarok was released, Ford went and bought a LHD model and sent it here, Nissan were meant to debut a Navara update an AIMS but that might not happen now either.

PLUS Toyota have now decided to make ESC, Airbags etc finally standard on the SR5 model, but what about the lower specs..... No such luck.....Yet...

[flyingfridge]

Gah, you make me jealous Gavs, I want to drive one!!!

[ntboozer]

So is the Ford benchmark vehicle the same spec as the Oz release? If so any pics of the interior (yes I'm impatient and can't wait until my trip over to the AIMS)? The comments "The problem is that the interior of the Tig is quite nice where as the Amarok seems to have gone cheap and heavy duty =/= comfortable" is interesting. Is this a broad market perspective or a VW only perspective? I've come from a Toyota Hilux and Nissan Patrol life so am looking forward to a basic Euro interior being a 100% improvement on both these vehicles.

[velly_16v_cab]

i will ask if i can borrow the Amarok and take a few photos of it, cameras are not allowed on site so i will have to find out if i can take it off site. i am not promising any thing mind!

[gavs]

ntboozer, the interior is very much VW/Audi esque in it's design, as you can see in the photos in other threads. The only thing is, it's mostly hard plastic in an attempt for it to be seen (im only using my designer's logic here so don't take this as gospel!) as a working vehicle, not a "soft roader" like the other VW off-roaders.

It does have fabric on the door arm rests and the centre console is padded fabric also, which is a nice change over a Hilux. The best thing about it though, is that while a $65,000 Hilux SR5 Diesel auto has the same interior as a base model 2wd cab chassis Work Mate, bar some silver painted plastic, the Amarok looks like it would be worth the money. In isolation, maybe not but back it up against a Hilux and it starts to make sense.

Plus the seats, Oooh the seats are amazing! And the rear leg room! And the short-throw gearshift!

That is all

[flyingfridge]

I'd expect the use of harder plastics will be to not just give it a heavy duty image, but also be heavy duty. The Transporter and Caddy have harder plastics when compared on the showroom, but look at them after they're traded in after 150,000+ HARD kms and nothing will be broken. They're even surprisingly scratch resistant. I have a couple of customers who buy their Caddys and give them to workers who don't give a **** about them and it's amazing how they come back at the other end. They're filthy but they drive well and the interior comes up remarkably well after a detail.

This is why the Amarok won't have the soft plastics or be quite as nice as a Passat but will last a heck of a lot longer when it's being abused.

[ntboozer]

This is all good news for me. I want to use my next 4x4 like I did my old Hilux (Cape York, Simpson crossings etc) plus, as a new Victorian, add Vic high country to the mix. I don't mind a functional interior but loath the 'cheap' seat that were fitted to my last lot (ended up replacing with Recaros). The 'wolf' is pretty much what I've been wishing / waiting for. I'm not interested in petrol so bi-turbo diesel is great (I'm hoping all current bi-turbo power up mods / chips can be applied to the Amarok motor), 6 speed manual I can learn to live with in the city (current ride is a Holden LX Adventra auto) but will be great on the open road.
I can see a lift kit / suspension upgrade, BFG A/T's or M/T's (perhaps fitted to Konig rims if available for VW stud pattern) and ARB bar work (if developed / available). I've got the HID converted Hella Rallye 4000's and the Warn 9.5XP winch for the bar (hope one is in development ) sitting in the shed ready to be fitted. Hayman Reece towbar and some form of cage / canopy for the tray is a given. After that only the interior remains. I have a Barrett and Icom in the shed awaiting a new platform and can see a nice Alpine system (including sat nav, reverse camera etc) fitted to pass the hours on the open red dust roads a long way north west of Melbourne (oh and to pass the time stuck in the daily traffic grind to work ). That should just about do it
Cheers
nt