BajaNomad - volkswagen amarok

volkswagen amarok

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 11:12 AM

spotted one these mid size turbo diesel 30mpg 2 or 4 wheeldrive pickups outside my front door this morning. I understand they're key support vehicles in the dakar rally so they obviously have some offroad clout. anyone seen these running around ?

DENNIS - 9-11-2013 at 11:19 AM

WOW......Isn't that pretty. "Hitler's Revenge" has come a long way....fer sure.

Wonder what the price is?

DENNIS - 9-11-2013 at 11:21 AM

Well...I guess they've been around for a short while:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Amarok

he loves rocks

mtgoat666 - 9-11-2013 at 11:23 AM

"Amarok" means "wolf" in Inuit, and Interbrand also claims it is associated with "he loves stones" in Romance languages.

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 11:30 AM

36 mpg, I like em!

bajabuddha - 9-11-2013 at 11:34 AM

Yabut, a 2-wheel drive truck is kinda like a gelding on a breeder ranch... anyone know if it comes w/ 4x4?

tripledigitken - 9-11-2013 at 11:44 AM

Any chance that ulsd is NOT required?

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabuddha
Yabut, a 2-wheel drive truck is kinda like a gelding on a breeder ranch... anyone know if it comes w/ 4x4?

The Amarok has three drive concepts: rear wheel drive, Shiftable 4Motion and Permanent 4Motion. The Shiftable all wheel drive system can shift drive between the axles whereas the Permanent full-time all wheel drive system distributes power through a Torque Sensing (Torsen) differential with a 40:60 ratio between the front and rear axles.

I won't even begin to claim I know what the heck this is! :lol:

but if its good enough for Dakar..........

motoged - 9-11-2013 at 12:51 PM

yeah, yeah.....

But is it better than a Tacoma?

:saint:

David K - 9-11-2013 at 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by motoged
yeah, yeah.....

But is it better than a Tacoma?

:saint:

That is the benchmark, isn't it? :light:

chippy - 9-11-2013 at 01:11 PM

They have been around for quite a few years down here. Toyota is still more popular for small trucks.

akbear - 9-11-2013 at 01:15 PM

I just saw one of these on Samba, VW website,$40,000 new, out of Mexico City.

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 01:40 PM

we'll just have to wait to see how it performs on the rigorous challenge of shell island! :lol:

DavidE - 9-11-2013 at 01:46 PM

Let me get this straight. Four door king cab at least half ton capacity and it gets 36 mpg.?

J.P. - 9-11-2013 at 02:32 PM

V W has come a long way, They are making some impressive looking vehicles. But they are going to establish some reliability history before I will bite. :yes:

comitan - 9-11-2013 at 03:51 PM

My new Beetle TDI(Diesel) gets 34MPG pulling a 1100# trailer.

Amarok in Ensenada

bajaguy - 9-11-2013 at 03:57 PM

Last time I was by the Enenada VW dealership, they had a couple on the lot. Guess I'll have to stop and kick a few tires.

Barry A. - 9-11-2013 at 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by J.P.
V W has come a long way, They are making some impressive looking vehicles. But they are going to establish some reliability history before I will bite. :yes:

Yep, me too.

Barry

Bajahowodd - 9-11-2013 at 05:02 PM

The reliability factor has been dealt with little by little. Y'all do know that the VW Passat is built in Tennessee?!

Barry A. - 9-11-2013 at 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
The reliability factor has been dealt with little by little. Y'all do know that the VW Passat is built in Tennessee?!

I did not know that, but the fact that they are built in the USA hasn't seemed to help GMC and Crysler much over the years. Now Ford is a different story, but I hear they use the same "quality control" Company that Toyota does, which explains a lot.

Barry

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 05:35 PM

the amarok is built in argentina. I dont know if thats good or bad but check out how many models have come from argentina over the years!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automobiles_manufacture...

[Edited on 9-12-2013 by willardguy]

wessongroup - 9-11-2013 at 05:53 PM

The German's are pretty good with the diesel engine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine

Audi R10 TDI

[Edited on 9-12-2013 by wessongroup]

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 06:15 PM

okay this is barely related but very cool. this is the crankshaft from the worlds largest diesel 2 stroke engine that powers super tankers

bajaguy - 9-11-2013 at 06:25 PM

Going in the 2014 Toyota Tacoma :lol:

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
okay this is barely related but very cool. this is the crankshaft from the worlds largest diesel 2 stroke engine that powers super tankers

[Edited on 9-12-2013 by bajaguy]

Barry A. - 9-11-2013 at 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wessongroup
The German's are pretty good with the diesel engine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine

Audi R10 TDI

[Edited on 9-12-2013 by wessongroup]

Had a '75 Mercedes 240 and a '83 Audi 5000 Turbo years ago, and they were both total money-pits. No more German cars for me. Fun to drive, tho.

Barry

J.P. - 9-11-2013 at 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy
Going in the 2014 Toyota Tacoma :lol:

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
okay this is barely related but very cool. this is the crankshaft from the worlds largest diesel 2 stroke engine that powers super tankers

A lot of those huge 2 stroke engines that are used in huge ships have no transmission's they are direct drive to reverse the ship the engine has to be stopped and restarted in reverse.

[Edited on 9-12-2013 by bajaguy]

Barry A. - 9-11-2013 at 10:38 PM

I think the Toureg (sp?) are a nomadic tribe in the Sahara Desert.

Barry

chippy - 9-12-2013 at 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
Let me get this straight. Four door king cab at least half ton capacity and it gets 36 mpg.?

Our TDI Jetta gets 50 mpg. They claim the Tdi Van gets 34 mpg.

J.P. - 9-12-2013 at 09:22 AM

The Rabbit Convertible I bought for my Daughter got 50 mpg. if you figured in the miles it rode on a Tow Truck.

:lol:

Bajahowodd - 9-12-2013 at 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by whistler
I don't even know what the hell "Touareg" means but this one is badass!!!
The rally cars are kicking but also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG8RHh5Oz34
I think they want their class that year.

Actually, the Touareg is fundamentally a Porsche Cayenne with a VW badge on it.

Amorak Sighting in San Diego

skippermike - 9-14-2013 at 12:27 PM

Yesterday, when walking out of our boat yard, I found a new-looking Amorak with Baja plates parked at the curb.
We often have boat owner visitors from Baja, so that was probably the owner.
It was a 4WD DCSB, TDI, 4Motion.
My Tacoma 4WD DCLB was not parked near enough for really good comparisons, but it looked a little smaller and lower - though mine is a lifted off road SR5, and most in the neighborhood are TRD OR or Sport.
Looking in the driver's window, I could see a 4WD control/indicator strip next to the transmission lever, with various modes indicated, including 4LO.
The interior was quite nice, and the back seat seemed about the same as my Tacoma.
A very nice looking truck.
With the TDI, and if it has the 8-speed transmission, it should get pretty awesome mileage.
If it is still around Monday, I'll have to look up the owner.

License

skippermike - 9-14-2013 at 03:06 PM

Yup.
Used to do a number of deliveries.
Last good delivery was a 90' Expedition yacht from Honolulu to our yard in San Diego, which was the same boat I delivered to Honolulu 3 years before for a different owner. Good fun, great owners both.
I used to do a bunch of fun corporate team-building races here with SetSail, but haven't for a couple years.
Only boat driving I do now is for larger boats at the yard, where owner/insurance company wants somebody somewhat-reputable on board!
I'm getting a little old for Baja Bashes anymore!
Mike

Boating

skippermike - 9-14-2013 at 05:34 PM

This getting far afield from OP's original - Will send U2

Bajahowodd - 9-15-2013 at 05:03 PM

The base model Amarok sells in Europe for the dollar equivalent of $35,200. But if you load it with the higher hp engine and the bells and whistles, it prices out around $50k.

Amarok

skippermike - 9-16-2013 at 06:25 AM

The one I saw "looked like" it could be a $30-$35k truck.
I did a little research and saw that both the gas and diesel engines were +/- 2.0l. I wondered if they also made it available with the 3.0l diesel in some of the group's higher performing SUVs.
Interesting truck.

jimgrms - 9-16-2013 at 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
The base model Amarok sells in Europe for the dollar equivalent of $35,200. But if you load it with the higher hp engine and the bells and whistles, it prices out around $50k.

They gotta pay for those baja touregs somehow .they spent enough money to pave the road .

bufeo - 9-16-2013 at 08:10 AM

License

Quote:

Originally posted by skippermike
Yup.
Used to do a number of deliveries....Mike

Off the subject, but Mike do you happen to know Laura Tritch?

On subject, the Amarok has received some exceptionally good reviews over the past couple of years from those folks looking for a good overland vehicle.

Perhaps it's mentioned in one of the above posts above and I missed it, but I have it on good source that VW, while having no plans to bring this vehicle to the U.S., is giving thought to importing it to Canada. Maybe one of our Canadian Nomads has the info on that rumor.

Allen R

Laura

skippermike - 9-16-2013 at 09:15 AM

Good morning Allen,
No - I don't know Laura.

bufeo - 9-16-2013 at 09:29 AM

Mike, thanks for the reply. I'm sending you a U2U re: LT.

On the subject of the VW Amarok, I received an email reply from my "reliable source" and the answer was affirmative that this vehicle may be imported into Canada. He did, however, underline the word 'may'. In fact, his information indicated that VW is considering manufacturing a few of their commercial brands (of which the Amarok is one) in Canada.

I don't know what this implies, i.e. any model manufactured in Canada automatically qualifies it for U.S. delivery, but it could be that we'll have Amaroks to the south of us and perhaps to the north also.

Allen R