With over 30 000 Amaroks sold in South Africa since launch in 2010, Volkswagen has added a special edition Amarok, the Dark Label. Local dealers yesterday confirmed to Woema that the special edition Amarok will arrive in Namibia by as early as next week. However, while the Dark Label has been advertised in South Africa for about N$675 000, the local retail price, which usually differs from South Africa, could not be confirmed at the time of going to print.
From the outside the special edition Amarok Dark Label distinguishes itself from the rest of the Amarok range through the locally-sourced MAXE matte black styling bar with ‘Amarok’ lettering, door handles and exterior mirrors in matte black, matte black highlight front protection grille with dark chrome lacquered ledges, tinted rear windows, blacked-out B-pillars, black side sills, ‘Dark Label’ décor film on the sides, smoked taillights and new 18-inch ‘Rawson’ alloy wheels.
Inside the Amarok Dark Label, the new black ‘Greenhouse’ headlining, Vienna leather seats, silk glance chrome air vent borders and floor mats embroidered with ‘Dark Label’ lettering continue the design theme of this special model.
Functional and standard features of the Amarok Dark Label include bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, front and rear park distance control, tyre pressure monitor, ‘Plus’ multi-function on-board computer, ‘Composition Media’ infotainment system, app-connect with voice control and multi-function steering wheel.
A comprehensive list of safety equipment comes as standard on the special edition Amarok, including on and off-road Electronic Stabilisation Programme and Volkswagen’s award-winning Automatic Post-Collision Braking System which can reduce the chance or severity of a secondary accident in the event of a collision.
Additionally, the Amarok Dark Label can be customised with the following optional features; seat heating (winter package), increased GVM/ heavy duty suspension, rear view camera, climatronic air-conditioning, ‘Discover Media’ infotainment system (including Satnav) as well as rubber floor covering for the cab and passenger compartment.
With a length of 5.25 metres and a width of 2.23 metres including the mirrors, the Amarok presents an aggressive stance and offers everything that could be expected from a rugged bakkie. The volumous loading area of the Amarok Dark Label is wide enough to accommodate a Euro pallet placed sideways.
Under the skin, the Amarok’s powerhouse is the tried and tested 2.0 BiTDi engine which generates 132kW from 4 000 rpm and 420Nm of torque from 1 500 to 2 000 rpm. The engine is paired with a class-leading 8-speed automatic transmission and permanent 4MOTION® four-wheel drive system. The Amarok Dark Label completes the zero to 100 km/h sprint in 11.3 seconds and has a top speed of 179km/h. It has an average fuel consumption of 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres. The Amarok Dark Label has a fuel tank capacity of 80 litres.
The Amarok Dark Label comes standard with 3 year/100 000 km manufacturer warranty, 5 year/90 000 km Genuine Automotion Service Plan and 6-year anti-corrosion warranty. The service intervals are at 15 000 km.
The Volkswagen Amarok is the VW’s first purpose-built pick-up and is a direct competitor for the Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara NP300 and Ford Ranger, and provides an additional yardstick for the newcomers to the pick-up segment to measure up to - namely the Fiat Fullback and the impending Mercedes-Benz X-Class.
On the road, the Amarok is demonstrates excellent driving manners, with solid, predictable car-like handling. Where Volkswagen’s achievement is much more impressive is the on-road refinement. The Amarok does not ride over broken surfaces with the sophistication of the Freelander, but the ride is exceptionally good for a vehicle with a payload of 1110kg. The steering is well-weighted, though devoid of much feel, but provides enough feedback on what’s going on beneath the tyres to allow fluent, quick progress.
The combination of a solid, leaf-spring rear axle, a low-range gearbox, mechanical locks on the centre and rear diffs and traction control means that most extreme off-road situations require little more than pressing the accelerator and adjusting the wheel so that it goes in the correct direction.
– Additional reporting by VW SA