Volkswagen Walkinshaw Amarok ceases production ahead of next-gen launch

The final Walkinshaw-fettled Volkswagen Amarok has rolled off the production line in Clayton, bring to a close a partnership which produced 2600 dual-cab utes.

However, the door remains open Volkswagen Australia to work with Walkinshaw again once the next-gen Amarok arrives in Australia in 2023.

Of the 2600 Walkinshaw Amaroks, 1555 were built during the 2022 calendar year, with production for the limited-run models only commencing in March 2021.

December 7: NEW AMAROK DRIVEN! Words & Video

We've finally driven the new-gen 2023 Volkswagen Amarok, with Jez jetting (Jet jezzing?) to South Africa for a world's-first spin in the new ute. Get our full story below.

Story continues

Volkswagen Walkinshaw Amarok ceases production ahead of next-gen launchEditorSEO AnalysisCurrent version

5

Initially the plan was for 2000 vehicles to be produced as part of the partnership, however substantial demand from consumers saw the number increase to 2600.

In total, the production run included 458 examples of the W580, 1419 W580S units, 599 W580X and the rarest model being the W580SE of which only 99 were built. There were also an additional 25 pilot builds to bring the total to a neat 2600 units.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Ryan Davies revealed that Australians had shown a clear appetite for the flagship models.

5

“Australians have voted with their wallets to make 90 per cent of Amarok sales the class leading diesel V6 and 20 per cent of Amarok sales a Walkinshaw engineered variant,” Davies said.

“This is testimony to both the fundamentals of this first-generation Amarok, which have helped influence and shape the incoming second generation model, and the great design and engineering of Walkinshaw.”

Volkswagen states that “up to 99 unique parts” feature on the W580X, coming from 26 different suppliers.

Ryan Walkinshaw, the director of Walkinshaw Automotive Group, pointed to the joint program as a win for the local manufacturing firm.

5

“The numbers speak for themselves, but it’s also been really pleasing to be able to support local manufacturing and suppliers in the process – all while taking a great platform that is the Amarok to the next level,” he said.

“We are looking forward to working closely once again with Volkswagen to see what the future may hold with their second-generation.”

Volkswagen and Walkinshaw both lauded the Amarok program as a success, and while there is no official confirmation it will continue, both are positive about the possibility of working together on a similar project once the next-gen vehicle arrives locally.

Australia is expected to be the biggest global market for the second-generation Amarok when it arrives early next year.

🚨 MORE 2023 AMAROK

Get all of our latest stories in one handy place, with our Everything You Need to Know article at the link below.