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Volkswagen’s Amarok double cab has rolled up for an engine upgrade less than two years after its South African launch. We tried out the new 132kW biTDI to see if it really is more drivable than the automaker claims.
Image gallery
The 120kW 2.0 biTDI Amarok was quite the revelation when it was introduced here in 2010. “A biturbo diesel engine – what are they thinking” became the opener to some very interesting discussions, most notably concerning the durability of the configuration.
JUST A TOUCH
Not that this has seemed to bother Volkswagen SA, who’ve just released an upgraded version of the engine – this time with 132kW on tap at 4000rpm. The peak torque remains at 400Nm available from 1500-2250rpm.
The power hike is mostly due to tweaks to the engine mapping and adjustments to the turbos’ boost pressures, Jaco Steenekamp, VWSA’s head of commercial vehicles’ sales and marketing division, said. Furthermore, the clutch travel has been altered for smoother changes that, along with the revised engine mapping, address previous concerns over the 120kW’s fondness for stalling.
Despite the extra 12kW, the overall Amarok double-cab experience remains relaxing thanks to its high level of ride comfort and the easy-shifting six-speed manual transmission.
MORE CHANGES TO COME
Unchanged is the Amarok’s choice of two drivetrains: 4Motion four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive.
And that’s the extent of the changes. No cosmetic nor mechanical upgrades, Trendline and Highline specification levels continue and other engines in the Amarok line-up - the 90kW turbodiesel and the 118kW 2.0 TSI – remain unchanged.
There are more running changes in store for the Amarok range, such as the option of a multifunction steering wheel and cornering lights before the end of 2012 and - most notably - the addition in January, 2013 of an eight-speed automatic transmission (using the ZF system currently seen in the capable Touareg model).
The 132kW 2.0 biTDI engine upgrade will be made available in the Amarok single cab in 2013.
Amarok Double Cab prices:
2.0 TSI 118kW Trendline 4x2 - R313 500
2.0 TDI 90kW Trendline 4x2 - R341 700
2.0 TDI 90kW Trendline 4Motion - R391 900
2.0 BiTDI 132kW Highline 4x2 - R375 100
2.0 BiTDI 132kW Highline 4Motion - R425 300
Image gallery
The 120kW 2.0 biTDI Amarok was quite the revelation when it was introduced here in 2010. “A biturbo diesel engine – what are they thinking” became the opener to some very interesting discussions, most notably concerning the durability of the configuration.
JUST A TOUCH
Not that this has seemed to bother Volkswagen SA, who’ve just released an upgraded version of the engine – this time with 132kW on tap at 4000rpm. The peak torque remains at 400Nm available from 1500-2250rpm.
The power hike is mostly due to tweaks to the engine mapping and adjustments to the turbos’ boost pressures, Jaco Steenekamp, VWSA’s head of commercial vehicles’ sales and marketing division, said. Furthermore, the clutch travel has been altered for smoother changes that, along with the revised engine mapping, address previous concerns over the 120kW’s fondness for stalling.
Despite the extra 12kW, the overall Amarok double-cab experience remains relaxing thanks to its high level of ride comfort and the easy-shifting six-speed manual transmission.
MORE CHANGES TO COME
Unchanged is the Amarok’s choice of two drivetrains: 4Motion four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive.
And that’s the extent of the changes. No cosmetic nor mechanical upgrades, Trendline and Highline specification levels continue and other engines in the Amarok line-up - the 90kW turbodiesel and the 118kW 2.0 TSI – remain unchanged.
There are more running changes in store for the Amarok range, such as the option of a multifunction steering wheel and cornering lights before the end of 2012 and - most notably - the addition in January, 2013 of an eight-speed automatic transmission (using the ZF system currently seen in the capable Touareg model).
The 132kW 2.0 biTDI engine upgrade will be made available in the Amarok single cab in 2013.
Amarok Double Cab prices:
2.0 TSI 118kW Trendline 4x2 - R313 500
2.0 TDI 90kW Trendline 4x2 - R341 700
2.0 TDI 90kW Trendline 4Motion - R391 900
2.0 BiTDI 132kW Highline 4x2 - R375 100
2.0 BiTDI 132kW Highline 4Motion - R425 300
