Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles this week unveiled three new offerings to the market, namely a special edition Amarok double cab, the Amarok Wörthersee and the Cross Caddy van/passenger series, at the Johannesburg International Motor Show.

The special edition Amarok double cab, with a switchable four-wheel drive, boasts a 132 kW 2.0-litre Bi-TDI four-cylinder engine with common rail direct injection and two-stage controlled bi-turbo charging, delivering a maximum torque of 420 Nm, from 17 500 rpm when mated, to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Amarok Edition includes the option of various canopies, a black roll cover for covering the cargo box, and a lighting bar that mounts to the roof with four auxiliary headlights, in addition to part-leather seats, a leather-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel, a leather-clad gear and shift and a standard climatic system in the cab.

The 2.52 m2 cargo area of the Amarok Edition measures almost 1.6 mm in length and 1.6 mm in width, with a 1.2-mm-wide space between the wheel arches – sufficient to load Euro pallets at 1.2 m x 0.8 m sideways. Any cargo would be secured by four load-lashing points located at the corners of the cargo box.

The bakkie’s maximum load capacity is 889 kg, with an additional 3.2 t towing capacity.

The vehicle features Hill Descent Assist, electronic stability control, which includes trailer stabilisation for all vehicles equipped with a towbar; electronic differential locks; traction control and an antilock braking system – all tuned for challenging off-road conditions.

Volkswagen also presented the Amarok Wörthersee concept – a 5.25-m-long, 2.22-m-wide single-cab body, powered by a 3.0-litre 200 kW V6 TDI engine.

The V6 TDI engine boasts torque of 600 Nm distributed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the four permanently driven wheels. The bakkie, with a cargo area of more than 3.5 m2, reaches  100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.

The Amarok Wörthersee has Bi-xenon front headlamps with chrome inserts behind clear glass that are connected by the powerful matte black grille with chrome slats and three large air intakes below the bumper with matte black louvres.

A carbon diffuser is situated at the rear, flanked by two chrome tailpipes, as well as darkened, specially developed light-emitting diode tail-lights.

Meanwhile, with the introduction of the Cross Caddy, Volkswagen South Africa was extending its popular Cross Lifestyle model range.

The Cross Caddy, with the standard Hill Hold Assist cruise control system, is available with 2.0 TDI 81 kW or 2.0 TDI 103 kW four-cylinder engines with common rail direct fuel injection.

The van or passenger vehicle has silver front and rear underbody protection and side guard strips on the sills, as well as silver coloured roof rails.

The Caddy features 24 storage compartments and cargo nets in the doors, on the centre console and centre armrest, in the dashboard sections, in the vehicle floor of the second row of seats, under the driver’s seat and in the roof area.

The front seats offer lumbar supports and boast balanced ergonomic properties.