VOLKS AMAROK PICK-UP DARES OPPONENTS, FLAUNTS SEDAN FEATURES

At a well-attended ceremony in Victoria Island, Lagos, not too long ago, Stallion Motors formally announced that it now has exclusive rights to market German-engineered Volkswagen commercial vehicles in Nigeria, with the launch and display of an array of products, including pick-up vans and a mini passenger carrier.

Among the commercial vehicles unveiled at the launch, were the iconic Amarok pick-up, Transporter, Caddy panel van and Caddy 7-seater passenger MPV (also known as Maxi Life). The Caravelle and Crafter variants were said to be on the way.

At the event, Armit Sharma, Marketing and Sales Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the new division of Stallion Motors in charge of the new range, had explained that the products were being targeted at satisfying the yearnings of intelligent and choosy customers, as well as discerning blue chip companies that were in need of exceptionally-engineered commercial vehicles.

Assessing the performance of the vehicles two months after the launch, Sharma told Daily Sun Motoring last week, that the interest shown by the buying public had so far been very remarkable, adding that as predicted at the presentation, the Amarok had been 'seducing' a lot of loyal customers of the competitors.

Volkswagen Amarok is emphasising its versatility through the various models available, including the Startline 4×2 that runs on diesel (double cabin); Amarok Trendline 4×4 double cabin with diesel engine; double cabin Trendline 4×2 with petrol engine; and petrol-engined Highline 4×2 with double cabin. Diesel or petrol, the Amarok is powered by a 2.0 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Though a pick-up, the Amarok boasts of the features of a typical sedan. For instance, the Highline 4×2 flaunts A/C, cruise control, airbags (front, side and curtain), ABS, Electronic Stability Control, power window, remote-controlled central lock, anti-theft alarm, MP 3-capable radio with six speakers, alloy wheels and multi-function display, among many others. The Startline and Trenline also have a very long list of specs.

According to the marketing director, the array of features, which can make some passenger cars look ordinary, were intended to give the driver and occupants of the pick-up a home feeling, on- or off-road.

Sharma further said of the internationally-acclaimed pick-up: 'Amarok has impressively demonstrated it can calmly cope with the most stringent conditions, especially during its first endurance test at one of the arduous rallies in the world. At the 2011 Dakar Rally, the Amarok was the official escort vehicle used through Argentina and Chile, and neither temperatures of 50°C nor mountain towering over 4,500 metres high could daunt the pickup as it passed the almost 9,000 kilometre endurance test with flying colours.'

So, whether shifting a 1,000kg load up a 100 per cent gradient, or covering 1,000 kilometres on one tank, the Amarok is ever ready to take the toughest challenges in its stride, he said. .Meanwhile, Stallion Motors' dedicated service outlets across the country have been equipped with genuine Volkswagen parts and German-trained technicians to provide technical and miscellaneous support for Amarok and other Volkswagen commercial vehicles.