A new Volkswagen Amarok is coming (and it’s being developed with Ford)

Yes, it’s only a sketch, and quite obviously a very early, it-won’t-look-much-like-this kind of sketch (wheels protruding beyond the wheel arches aren’t the best for pedestrian safety now, are they), but it previews the Amarok’s new face, a face that’s much more in line with the likes of the new Mk8 Golf, and assures us it’ll be just as rugged as it was before.

While we’re not sure what powertrains will slot into the new Amarok when it arrives in 2022 (we’re hoping it’ll still come with the 3.0-litre V6 we had), we do know that this is one of the first vehicles that’s been co-developed with Ford. That’s right, Ford, a company that knows a thing or two about pick-ups, announced in July 2019 that it would be teaming up with Volkswagen to develop electric vehicle technology, autonomous tech, pickups and vans.

Volkswagen’s statement at the time read: “Ford will engineer, source and build the previously announced medium pick-up for both companies for customers in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and South America, with trucks expected to arrive in key markets as early as 2022.

“Volkswagen and Ford have strong complementary commercial van and pick-up businesses around the world, with popular models including the Ford Transit line-up and Ranger as well as the Volkswagen Transporter, Caddy and Amarok.”

Roll on 2022. And please, Volkswagen, keep that big V6.