VW Amarok Spy Shots Show Distinct-Looking Truck Covered In Camo

We’ve known for several years that the new Ford Ranger and VW Amarok will share a platform. The two automakers signed a partnership deal several years ago that saw the two work together on a range of next-generation products and share technology, including mid-size truck platforms. The global Ford Ranger debuted late last year, but VW has yet to introduce the new Amarok, although spy shots show development is underway on the model.

The truck is completely covered in camouflage, so it’s hard to pinpoint how different it looks from the Ranger. There are only so many ways to design a pickup, but there are a few distinct changes to the Amarok that camouflage can’t hide.

The front looks unique. VW appears to position the fog lamps higher on the face of the Amarok, and the grille doesn’t seem to extend to the headlight units. There is also a clearly visible hood line, different from the shape of the hood found on the Ranger.

The move to the Ranger platform means that the Amarok is bigger and more capable than the model it replaces. Powering it will be the evolution of the VW 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, which should return 255 horsepower (190 kilowatts) and 428 pound-feet (580 Newton-meters) of torque. It is not clear what transmission will be paired with the engine. The truck could get another powertrain, but we don’t expect VW to offer it in the US, so turbodiesel might be the only option VW has to offer.

The second generation VW Amarok will debut in the coming months. There may be a hotter Amarok R variant that will compete with the Ranger Raptor, but what we do know now is that VW is considering the model. The VW Amarok might not be a completely different model, but VW would probably be dead if it weren’t for its partnership with Ford.