Ford also plans to take up Volkswagen on their offer to sell a stake in Argo, the German automaker’s autonomous driving division. An electro-mobility service could also happen as part of the partnership, and according to higher-ups from Wolfsburg, the Germans are open to sharing the MEB vehicle architecture with the Ford Motor Company.
Can you imagine Ford coming up with a Focus-sized alternative to the ID. Neo hatchback that Volkswagen will start manufacturing in November 2019? It’s not impossible, but on the other hand, the talks are ongoing. Having said these, let’s turn our attention back to the Amarok.
Announced in 2005 and previewed by the Robust Pick-Up Concept in 2008, the Amarok was presented in Pacheco, Argentina in January 2010. Little changed since then, but nevertheless, the 3.0-liter V6 TDI and ZF 8HP automatic transmission complement the 4Motion four-wheel drive like a hand in glove. Even when compared to the Mercedes-Benz X 350d 4Matic, the Volkswagen is an interesting alternative in the mid-size segment.
Volkswagen is testing 4.0-liter V8 TDI in the Amarok, but we wouldn’t hold our breath for this engine in the next generation. There are plans to discontinue the eight-cylinder option in the nearest of futures, and given the partnership with Ford, chances are the two parties are willing to share the suck-squeeze-bang-blow to cut development costs as much as possible.
