New Volkswagen Pickup to Be Called Amarok

Search for new or used truck listings near you. Select a make and model below.

New Volkswagen Pickup to Be Called Amarok

Posted by Mike Levine | June 4, 2009

Vw-amarok

Volkswagen's upcoming midsize pickup has been given the robustly unusual name "Amarok." The name comes from the Inuit word for "wolf."

"The Inuit regard the wolf as the king of the wilderness, an impressive figure due to its strength, robustness, endurance and superiority," VW said in a press release this morning. "This name also means 'he loves stones' in the Romance languages, which are spoken in the major markets in Brazil and Argentina."

VW will build the truck at its manufacturing plant in Pacheco, Argentina, for sale in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. A year ago the company had considered killing the pickup for the European market, but it appears that thinking has changed.

"This name fits to a tee the characteristics of our pickup, which will set new standards in its class. We took great care selecting this name, which can be used globally. The Amarok is meant to invoke positive associations in all relevant international markets and make a more convincing argument than its established competitors right from the start," said Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The Amarok will be launched as a double-cab pickup with four-wheel drive. A regular cab version will follow later. Engines are expected to include both diesel and gasoline direct-injection.

Browse News By:

Comments

first time i see it, it seem to me CAMARO, not very original

Posted by: danny | Jun 4, 2009 11:01:18 AM

At least Europeans give their vehicles tough names... Well, there is really nothing tough about them beyond the name anyway... :-)

Posted by: Sierra_WT | Jun 4, 2009 12:57:03 PM

@danny & Sierra_WT: yes, you're right - AMAROK sounds quite the same as CAMARO (IROC?), so it's not so original from VW... The European trucks are really only tough looking, under the body they're crappy, and most of them you can get only with Diesel engines, but don't mistake with something like a Cummins or Duramax!

Posted by: ARON | Jun 5, 2009 9:31:45 AM

Not sold in America,so why report on it?
Maybe they should have honored their past and name the truck "VW Double Cab",and the regular model "VW Single Cab"? Of course,this is the company that instead of bringing back a retro MicroBus,they relabel a Chrysler minivan and call it (C)Routan.

Posted by: Paul | Jun 5, 2009 12:53:48 PM

Darn! Looking at the picture I thought they were going to call it the SAR. That way if you bought two you would have SARS. :-)

Posted by: Ray | Jun 5, 2009 8:08:55 PM

"Not sold in America"

What the heck do you think Argentina and Brazil are?

America is 2 continents bud!

Posted by: oxi | Jun 5, 2009 8:57:47 PM

The natives in Canada run the wolves to exhaustion with their snow machines and put a bullet in their heads. (True story, you can't make it up) Can we save the drama?

Posted by: Huck BB62 | Jun 6, 2009 8:21:38 PM

danny & Sierra_WT:
Ref; but don't mistake with something like a Cummins or Duramax!
C'mon fella, if these engines were any good at all, they wouldn't have any probs selling them anywhere in the World now would they ?
It takes the Europeans to show the rest of the World, how to manufacture a REAL diesel engine, one that complies with the stringent pollution laws these days AND with fuel economy American manufacturers can only dream about.
Bring it on VW.

Posted by: Eddy | Jun 11, 2009 12:35:48 AM

Will do well in S.A. Hopefully there will be 3 liter tdi

Posted by: nico | Jun 12, 2009 12:49:21 PM

Quando chega no Brazil.
Tem versao 4x4

Posted by: Ivo Garrido | Nov 3, 2009 2:02:42 PM

This van will sell like mad in South Africa.Just hope the price is not to mad

Posted by: Evan Benade | Dec 9, 2009 8:07:36 AM

You yanks might make power cars and trucks, but just remmeber the rest of the world pay alot more in fuel then you do. For this vw to have a 2 lit engine and give out 161hp and get good miles speaks for it self.
Its amazing to think there is a world other then that in the U.S.

Posted by: paul | Feb 12, 2010 2:16:52 PM

Search for new or used truck listings near you. Select a make and model below.