Amarok Vivo? Refreshed 1st-gen VW bakkie revealed!
Amarok Vivo, anyone? A refreshed version of VW’s original Amarok bakkie – which is still in production in Argentina – has been revealed. So, this or the Ford-built version?
Despite the fact most global markets have moved on to the 2nd-generation Volkswagen Amarok – based on the Ranger and built by Ford right here in South Africa – the German firm’s Argentinian division still produces the original iteration for South America. And now a refreshed version has been revealed as something of a prolonged-lifecycle model. An Amarok Vivo, if you will.
Yes, just as VW Group Africa’s facility in Kariega still churns out the previous-generation Polo hatchback (badged as the Polo Vivo), the German firm’s Pacheco facility in Argentina continues to produce the 1st-gen Amarok – a model that traces its roots all the way back to 2010. For the record, however, the Ford-based version of the bakkie is not offered in South America.
So far, Volkswagen’s South American arm has released just a single image, along with a 40-second video clip filmed in the Pacheco factory. While very little official information has thus so far come to light, more details and photographs are expected to be released on 6 August 2024, when the full reveal is scheduled to take place.
However, thanks to the single photograph and short video clip, we can see the refreshed 1st-gen Amarok gains a completely redesigned grille (including a chrome-effect band similar to that used on the 2nd-gen bakkie) and restyled headlamps, a combination that is topped by a striking full-width LED strip. The front bumper furthermore scores a new foglamp design and a prominent air intake.
The bakkie’s flanks appear largely unchanged, with the squared-off wheel arches still very much present and correct. While VW has yet to give us a glimpse of the updated 1st-gen Amarok’s rear end, the video clip does at least include an exceedingly brief look at the cabin’s touchscreen system. We’re likely to eventually see minor updates inside, perhaps along with a few added safety features.
However, VW is not expected to make any significant mechanical changes, which means the “Amarok Vivo” (we can’t help but call it that) will continue to be offered in South America with a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine as well as the Porsche-derived 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel motor. The latter was arguably the original Amarok’s defining feature, generating a heady 190 kW (or 200 kW on overboost) and 580 Nm in its loftiest tune.
Of course, we should point out there are no plans to offer this prolonged-lifecycle version of the Amarok – which is expected to remain in production in Argentina for a further decade, effectively pushing its lifespan to nearly 25 years – outside of South America, so you won’t ever see this bakkie on local roads.
So, why is the 2nd-gen Amarok not available in South America? Well, as a VW executive suggested to Motor1.com last year, if Ford in Argentina were to produce the new-gen Amarok for that part of the world (as the Blue Oval brand does here in Mzansi), Volkswagen’s Pacheco plant would lose its key model, greatly impacting the viability of the German firm’s manufacturing business in that country. So, instead, it opted to continue making the original model, albeit with choice tweaks.
Related content
Volkswagen Amarok (2010-2023) Buyer’s Guide