Volkswagen Amarok Canyon Pickup Concept Debuts, Production Likely [Geneva Auto Show]

Besides the Polo, Caddy, Multivan, and of course, the Scirocco, one of the most interesting Volkswagens we don't get here in the U.S. is the Amarok pickup. Handsome, versatile, and quite large by European standards—but mid-size by ours—the Amarok is about as close to an F-150 as VW is likely to build. It's sold in most places that aren't the U.S. as a competitor to trucks like Ford's latest global Ranger and the practically indestructible Toyota Hilux. At the 2012 Geneva auto show, VW debuted this toughened-up Canyon concept. The Amarok Canyon is powered by with a 180-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel with 295 lb-ft of torque. It has a more purposeful stance than the standard Amarok thanks to its 1.4-inch fender flares, plus chunky Mickey Thompson all-terrain tires wrapped around a set of sweet five-spoke, 18-inch wheels painted a color called "Adamantium Dark." (Somebody in VW's paint and color department reads Marvel Comics.) The concept truck also sits some 3.4 inches higher off the ground, thanks to the aforementioned knobby tires and a 1.6-inch suspension lift; power-deployable running boards simplify ingress/egress. A quartet of roof-mounted flood lights, contrast-color underbody protection, smoked taillamp lenses, and the tubular roll bar add even more testosterone to the Amarok Canyon's appearance. The two primary interior tones—"sterling" and "adamant"—provide visual relief from the retina-searing Baladi Orange exterior paint, although the latter hue is applied in the cabin for the seat stitching and other minor details. A trio of ancillary gauges sit atop the dashboard, displaying the various vehicle angles as it bounds over rocks, dirt mounds, and tree trunks that may stand between paved road and roaring river. The concept was envisioned specifically for freestyle kayakers—how's that for a niche?—and so the bed area contains a variety of nets, tie-downs, and enclosures tailor-made to secure everything such people need. No word on whether VW plans to target aficionados of other action sports with further Amarok derivatives, but the company hinted that a more general-interest version of this concept could start rolling off the production line in Hanover, Germany, as soon as this summer. Like every other Amarok, it won't be offered in America. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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