It’s been a long time coming, but Volkswagen has finally been able to launch the automatic version of its much-vaunted Amarok ute – and at the same time has gone further towards closing the missing ranks in the total Amarok line with Super Single Cab versions. John Oxley reports.

Currently the automatic Amarok is only available in top-of-the-range Double Cab 4WD trim, although more versions are expected to follow.
In a massive slide away from current market trends, Volkswagen has chosen to use a single gearbox in its 4WD auto models, with no transfer case to give low ratios.
The 8-speed gearbox, made by ZF and also found in the all-wheel-drive Audi A8 luxury sedan, features overall ratios lower than might be found on an SUV or crossover, but an anticipated ultra-low “crawler” gear has not been included in this version, Volkswagen choosing instead to rely on its vast palette of electronic aids to ensure traction in extreme conditions.
However, a Torsen (torque sensing) diff. IS part of the gearbox package to automatically apportion drive between front and rear axles as required. And Volkswagen says the torque multiplication of the torque converter in the auto ‘gearbox compensates for this lack of a really low ratio. We’ll detail overall ratios elsewhere.
At the same time as launching the auto, VW has also seen fit to present its latest twin turbo version of the 2-litre TDI engine into the Amarok, lifting power to 132kW and 420Nm of torque to put it firmly into the ballpark of its “big ute” competitors from Ford, Mazda, and Holden, although the Nissan Navara ST-X 550 V6 still clearly leads the pack when it comes to power and torque.
In terms of pricing the Amarok comes in lower than expected. At $64,990 it’s around $3,000 more expensive than the Ford, Mazda and Holden, and just more than $2,000 less than the Nissan.
And for the first time in a ute the automatic transmission is combined with permanent four-wheel drive, improving further the simplicity of driveability, while all Amaroks get a tow rating of 3,000kg.
At the same time the Amarok has the widest space in the load bed between its wheel arches, at 1,220mm enough to put a pallet in lengthways across the vehicle.
The Highline level offers a high luxury specification level, with climate control aircon, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, 17-inch alloys with flared arches, leather multi-function steering wheel and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a single-disc MP3 compatible CD player/radio with iPod connectivity.
There are also chrome accents and a rear bumper.
The Super Single Cab offers a 4Motion 4WD model with the 120kW/400Nm 2-litre twin turbo TDI engine, linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox.  
The “Super Cab” name refers to extra space behind the seats to cater for taller drivers or additional load space for more valuable items that owners may not want to put in the wellside.
Cab/chassis will also be available for those wishing to install a flat bed.
The same high level of safety equipment carries down from the current Amarok model line-up, with the new variants also featuring ESP as standard, as well as front airbags for driver and front passenger plus head/thorax airbags.
The Amarok Super Single Cab features a wellside that has been extended to 2,205mm with the same overall vehicle length and wheelbase as the four-door double cab. The load bed, which is 65cm longer than that of the double cab, can easily accommodate two standard sized pallets crosswise, one behind the other, leaving another 60cm of bed length available.
The 4WD models have a full 5-star safety rating.
Volkswagen claims overall consumption of 8.3L/100km and CO2 emissions of 219 g/km for the new automatic, which is lower than any of its immediate competition.
Volkswagen chose a really iffy day to launch the Amarok, but it did at least ensure that we were able to test it in typical Kiwi winter conditions – i.e. wet and muddy.
After driving out of Auckland, on motorway and on country roads – all of which served to show that the Amarok auto has great flexibility, quiet cruising, and (still) the best on- road ride in the ute business – we arrived at a farm south of Auckland where a great course had been set up in the paddocks – bisected by a river – by off-road training guru Pete Richie and his Natural Instincts team.
Pete admitted he was a bit worried, because much of where we would be driving had in fact been under flood water scant days before our arrival, and the surface was slick with mud.
Our first test was a slithering slalom, and many of my colleagues battled to even get going. However, judicious throttle control, plus the standard traction control, got us moving along easily, then Pete encouraged me to show off a bit with some rally-style driving that got the vehicle about as far sideways as you could go without spinning!
The Amarok was very easy to control as I flicked it lock-to-lock while keeping the power on, and afterwards Pete was uber-enthusiastic about the Torsen diff’s ability to send torque to where the grip was.
Other tests showed the Amarok’s ability to crawl slowly as we traversed a sideling alongside the river, while the river crossings were a doddle, and the only piece of uncontrolled enthusiasm a mangled descent with mud-clogged tyres, with the best way to control by keeping some power on so at least we could turn at the bottom without getting stuck in the mudbath there.
So how low is the gearing? The ZF HP8 gearbox has a first gear ratio of 4.714 to 1, but the final drive ratio is high at 3.7 to 1, giving an overall lowest ratio of only 17.44 to 1, better than your average “soft-roader” SUV, but not by a lot.
However, adding in the torque converter factor changes this dramatically, with our estimate (based on a typical multiplication factor of 2.5:1) of possible crawl speeds equivalent to 43.6 to 1. To put this into perspective, the Land Cruiser 70 manual has overall gearing of 42.6 to 1.