Special edition to recognise Volkswagen world record
Tired of being beaten in the sales race, this industry titan has delivered an adventurous new model.
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Like a kid wearing a superhero costume, VW’s new special edition ute has the confident look of a comic book legend … if not the muscle.
Keen to pump up the tyres of its cousin to the Ford Ranger, Volkswagen sent an Amarok ute on an expedition around Australia.
Impressively, the heavily modified VW Amarok V6 tackled 10 of Australia’s harshest deserts including the Simpson, Tirari, and Great Victoria Deserts.
It completed the gruelling 6,241 kilometre journey in six days and 17 hours, setting a Guinness World Record.
You’ll be able to buy a special edition version of the Amarok marking the achievement next year.
But it won’t have a powerful V6 engine.
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Like its mechanical cousin in the Ford Ranger Tremor, the VW Amarok 10 Deserts adds suspension, stickers and a few other upgrades to utes with a 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, as opposed to the stronger V6 of premium models.
Based on the VW Amarok Life TDI500, the 10 Deserts offers 154kW and 500Nm of torque, making it lighter than the V6 variant.
While it doesn’t quite match the V6’s 184kW and 600Nm grunt, the smaller motor’s lighter weight could hit a sweet spot for those seeking an off-road adventure.
VW says Desert Edition will be one of the best in its class for ground clearance, beating the Ford Ranger Tremor or Nissan Navara Pro-4X, with 275mm between the earth and its underpinnings thanks to a 40mm ARB lift kit.
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The vehicle also features underbody protection, 17-inch satin black wheels, a black sports bar and “10 Deserts” decals, all weather floor mats and soft tonneau cover.
A brief off-road drive revealed the car’s upgraded hardware and 10-speed transmission ensured maximum control across steep hills, corrugates tracks or even wet crossings.
Set to be priced between $55,000 and $70,000, this edition ute will be a more accessible option compared to high-end models such as the Ford Ranger Raptor.
The limited edition is available in white only, with production capped at 300 units that will go on sale in the second quarter of 2025.
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The model pays tribute to an adventure that conquered rocks, sand, dirt and more.
The team’s toughest challenge involved getting stuck in the middle of a salt lake at 1am.
Lead driver Brad said the team had to deflate tires to 12 psi, unload half a tonne of cargo and dig for three hours to free the ute.
“We had to shovel through the night and repack everything once the Amarok was out,” he said.
The Amarok only had one puncture repair over the entire journey and finished the adventure with no mechanical problems.
Volkswagen commercial vehicles director Ryan Davies said the journey demonstrated the “durability and reliability” of the Amarok.
“It’s a testament to how well-suited the Amarok is for both extreme challenges and everyday adventure,” he said.
The road-going Amarok 10 Deserts Edition misses out on the bull bar, roof basket, snorkel and oversized Kumho tyres of the record-setting car.
Customers can flip through an accessories catalogue to sort that out, though there’s less they can do about its four-cylinder motor.
– with David McCowen
Originally published as Special edition to recognise Volkswagen world record
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