2023 Volkswagen Amarok: New teaser image, here’s everything we know so far

Volkswagen has drip-fed another teaser sketch of the 2023 VW Amarok, this time showing a glimpse of the rear of the pick-up, and the driver's view.

The image of the rear of the Amarok – towing a snowmobile – obscures the tail-light design but shows the side profile, hinting again that a squared-off wheel arch theme will carry over to the new model.

The driver's view image shows what appears to be a digital instrument cluster and a horizontal infotainment screen – versus Ford's massive, vertical Tesla-style display.

Stitching in the dash and an oddment storage tray appear to be similar to those on today's Ford Ranger Wildtrak.

As reported previously, the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will be based on the new Ford Ranger.

Because the current Volkswagen-developed Amarok did not meet global sales expectations, the German auto giant partnered with Ford rather than go it alone on a new model.

While Volkswagen is yet to go into detail, the company has confirmed the new Amarok will be offered with a turbo diesel V6 (TDV6) and that vehicle dimensions have grown slightly compared to the current model (10cm longer and 4cm wider).

The TDV6 – and the twin-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel – are both expected to be Ford engines and paired with Ford 10-speed automatic transmissions.

However, Volkswagen is yet to formally acknowledge the new Amarok will have Ford power.

Australian-delivered Ford Ranger utes will continue to be sourced from Thailand when the new model goes on sale locally mid-2022.

The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok is due in Australian showrooms early next year, sourced from a Ford factory in South Africa that also assembles the Ford Ranger for the European market.

The current-generation Volkswagen Amarok will continue to be sourced from Pacheco, Argentina, until the new model arrives – after the Amarok assembly line in Hannover, Germany, closed in 2020.

Volkswagen is remaining tight-lipped about the new Amarok, presumably because the start of production is still up to 12 months away, and the company must continue to sell the current model – now the oldest in its class – until then.

However, there were some further clues about the new Amarok in the latest Volkswagen statement to media.

The designer described the interior as having "clear, taut surfaces and a particularly high-quality cockpit" to deliver a "Volkswagen DNA".

While the new Volkswagen Amarok was developed alongside the new Ford Ranger – in design and engineering centres in Germany, the US and Australia – senior Ford designers said the Volkswagen interior and exterior styling themes were worked on separately.

That is, Volkswagen designers deliberately did not want to see the Ford Ranger's styling until after the Amarok themes and technology had been locked in.

"In the future the Amarok will have even more comprehensive technical features that are of use not just as tools for work," said the media statement issued by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Germany.

"In its latest generation, the (Amarok) will have considerably more driver-assist systems and ... connectivity. The Amarok will thus be featuring innovations that have not been seen before in this segment."

It is unclear if this means the new VW Amarok will have features and technology the new Ford Ranger does not.

Given the new Ford Ranger will launch at least than six months ahead of the new VW Amarok, Volkswagen would need to include some unique features to live up to this claim.

Improving the list of the Volkswagen Amarok's advanced safety equipment and driver assistance systems will not be difficult.

The current model has none, and lacks technology considered basic by today's standards, such as radar cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, and speed sign recognition.

While Volkswagen did not detail the complete engine line-up, the media statement said:

"In terms of the drive system, we are continuing to use highly efficient TDI diesel engines for the new Amarok”, said Lars Menge, head of product marketing at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

“And there will be a powerful V6 TDI available in the future too, plus further power units specific in each case to the market. In other words, depending on the (country), the Amarok will be moving forward efficiently and powerfully as a diesel or petrol vehicle”.

While Volkswagen has now issued three rounds of teaser sketches over the past 18 months, spy images also paint a picture of what we can expect.

Hidden under the disguise, it looks more like a Ford Ranger than a VW Amarok – due to the common proportions and body structure.

However, all exterior panels will be unique to the VW Amarok, and the interior promises significant differentiation.

The chief engineer for the Ford Ranger has previously said the VW Amarok is a "differentiated sibling product", which means everything the customer can see will be unique to each model.

The current-generation VW Amarok – developed in-house by Volkswagen in Germany – has been in production since 2010.

Since then, more 815,000 examples have been sold globally, including more than 83,000 in Australia since 2011.

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