Volkswagen Amarok 'junior' ute takes shape

German car giant Volkswagen is currently crunching the numbers to see if a compact ute is financially feasible – and this independent rendering provides a potential preview of the new vehicle.

Created by KDesign, the computer generated image draws obvious inspiration from the upcoming Volkswagen Golf Alltrack wagon and provides an interesting take on how VW’s ‘Alltruck’ or junior Amarok could end up looking.

If it gets the green light to compete against a growing number of lifestyle utes, such as the upcoming US-built Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick, Volkswagen’s proposed baby ute would almost certainly be manufactured in the Americas.

With its raised ride height, wheel-arch protection and nominal rear tray, the small Golf-based pick-up design looks neat and tidy and could even kickstart an automotive genre not seen since the Suzuki Mighty Boy and Subaru Brumby departed in 1988 and 1994 respectively.

The rendering employs the front-end design of the upcoming Volkswagen Golf Mk8 hatchback, but squarer and more rugged styling similar to the Amarok’s would more likely be employed on the final production version (if it happens).

Expect to see elements of the 2018 Volkswagen Taroq concept ute to give the German brand’s small ute a tougher, more utilitarian look.

The compact, two-seat tray-back would most likely be powered by small-capacity four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines matched to both manual and DSG automatic transmissions.

But the extent of its off-road capability might not be uch more than the Golf Alltrack’s, meaning a touch more ground clearance than the standard Golf and, perhaps, the available of a Volkswagen’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

While it won’t have the towing or load-lugging capacity of the Volkswagen Amarok, the small ute would provide the brand with a versatile offering based on the same modular MQB platform that underpins the Golf – which would mean it brings plenty of tech toys, creature comforts and luxury features.

Volkswagen Group of America CEO Scott Keogh recently stated that the idea of a compact ute was being studied by the brand, and VW would target an entry-level price-point of around $US25,000 ($A34,000) if the project was green-lit.

“I think you see Ford is discussing this and Hyundai is obviously doing one as well. It’s something worth looking it,” he told Autoline TV.

Volkswagen already builds MQB-based vehicles in Mexico (Puebla) and the United States (Tennessee).

“That smaller platform sits in Puebla already, so it’s easier to make it down there … versus Chattanooga where we would have to modify or launch an all-new platform,” said Keogh.

“The cost basis is a little better in Puebla, but the USMCA [free trade agreement] basis is a little better in Chattanooga. But we would run the math,” said the VW’s USA chief.

Sadly while Ford’s and Hyundai’s Australian operations haven’t ruled out bringing a cheaper, smaller, safer and more efficient lifestyle ute to Oz, Volkswagen Australia has already stated it is not interested, arguing that almost 90 per cent of all Amarok utes are now sold with V6s.

“We don’t see an opening for a compact variant,” Volkswagen Australia’s corporate communications boss Paul Pottinger previously told carsales.

Expected to arrive in 2022, the second-generation Amarok ute will be based on the all-new 2021 Ford Ranger and is expected to continue to offer four-cylinder and V6 turbo-diesel powertrains.