There’s a new teaser for the upcoming Volkswagen Amarok pickup out today. It’s intriguing to see the truck be previewed, because this is the first pickup that will be born of the Ford-Volkswagen technology sharing partnership. The new Amarok will be based on the Ford Ranger, and this one is said to be based on the upcoming next-gen Ranger at that.
We’ve seen spy shots of Ford’s upcoming midsize pickup redesign, but design sketches are thin on the ground. Styling for the Volkswagen version of the pickup is surely going to be vastly different, but the preview is great to see nonetheless.
This sketch from Volkswagen is much more realistic looking than the cartoonish drawing VW released last year (below left). Its proportions are closer to what a production pickup could have, even if some of the design might be exaggerated or not scaled accurately in some places.
The chunky tires, orange tow hooks and big fender flares suggest that VW is leaning into an off-road aesthetic. Much of the drawing looks like it could be translated over to production. Even the full-width LED lighting in the grille is a part of VW’s design language now as it is implemented in more vehicles across its product line. Despite the Ford underpinnings, this truck is looking like a full VW design.
Volkswagen still hasn’t provided a solid reveal date for this pickup, but seeing as how the next-gen Ranger still isn’t out, we suspect there’s still a wait to come. While VW uses the Ford pickup platform, Ford has said it will utilize VW’s electric platform for a new EV. However, just like the new Amarok, that project is still super light on details and missing a proper launch date. We hope to learn more about these vehicles later this year or early 2022.
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