Volkswagen Amarok, this charming second-generation vehicle, while living in the shadow of its sister model Ford Ranger, consistently manages to captivate attention with its unique allure.
Recently, Volkswagen not only shone in the market but also broke the Guinness World Record with astonishing speed, becoming the first vehicle to complete the fastest crossing of Australia's top ten deserts. This remarkable feat inspired Volkswagen to launch a special desert edition tailored for the Australian market.
This impressive record was achieved by a skilled team of drivers, including Rainer Zietlow, Marius Bella, and Brad Bowman, who navigated the vast expanse of Australia in the Amarok, challenging ten deserts.
The team crossed Strzelecki, Sturt Stony, Simpson, Pedirka, Great Victoria, Gibson, Little Sandy, Great Sandy, and Tanami, completing a grueling 6,421 kilometers in just 6 days and 17 hours, setting the fastest time ever recorded. Despite facing harsh conditions, the Amarok emerged nearly unscathed.
Throughout the adventure, only one tire experienced a puncture, and the team consumed 1,199 liters of diesel, averaging 18.7 liters per 100 kilometers. This record-breaking Amarok showcases its formidable off-road capabilities with a host of accessories. Equipped with off-road bumpers, additional LED lights, a roof rack, air vents, and four spare tires, it exudes toughness. This production-ready special edition is named the "10 Deserts Edition." The aesthetic updates include black stickers on the doors, a black cover for the cargo bed, and 17-inch wheels matching the white exterior.
The vehicle's suspension height is raised by 40 mm, resulting in a ground clearance of 275 mm, complemented by additional underbody protection and a thicker chassis, making it even more suitable for off-road adventures. Under the hood, this vehicle features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine (TDI 500) with twin turbochargers, while the record-breaking model was equipped with a more powerful 3.0-liter V6 engine (TDI 600).
Despite no power updates, this Ford-sourced engine still delivers 207 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque, with power transmitted to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 10 Deserts Edition is set to arrive in Australian showrooms by the second quarter of 2025, priced between the Amarok Life at AUD 38,700 and the Style version at AUD 45,400.
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