The refreshed 2017 Volkswagen Amarok has been revealed with ute getting an engine upgrade from 2.0L to a 3.0L V6 offering up to 165kW and 550Nm.

AFTER A SKETCH WAS released last week, VW has revealed a handful of images showing the refreshed 2017 Volkswagen Amarok. While speculation suggested it would retain its 2.0L turbo-diesel engine, Volkswagen has binned it in favour of a new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, which will be available in three states of tune and deliver up to 165kW and 550Nm of torque, the latter available at just 1500rpm, an improvement of 130Nm over its predecessor.

The most powerful version of the Amarok will be first out the door and will go on-sale in Europe this September – it’s likely the updated Amarok will arrive in Australia either towards the end of this year or early next year. The other two engine outputs are 120kW and 150kW. All engines are Euro6 compliant and will be mated to either an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Combined fuel consumption is around 7.6L/100km for the most powerful Amarok.

Three different drive-system versions will be offered in line with the respective engine variants:  rear-wheel drive, and a 4MOTION version with either rear-wheel drive or part-time 4WD with a manual gearbox, or with a permanent all-wheel drive system and a Torsen differential with the 8-speed automatic gearbox.

The steering has also come in for a change, with the new Amarok being offered with Servotronic electric-assist rack-and-pinion steering instead of hydraulic power assistance. VM claim the 165kW Amarok gets 17-inch disc brakes on the front and 16-inch discs at the rear. Also standard will be Automatic Post-Collision Braking System which detects an accident and then applies the brakes to prevent secondary accidents. This is not pre-coliision braking, otherwise know as AEB. Interestingly, Volkswagen has said the Amarok, in some variants, in the future, will boast a 3500kg towing capacity.

The new Amarok has obviously copped some tweaks to the front and rear and also the inside, these include the dashboard and the seats. The 165kW Amarok will be launched in Europe as the Amarok Aventura and, like the Ford Ranger Wildtrak gets a body-coloured sports bar in the which visually shifts the double cab rearwards and also extends over a small part of the 2.52 m² tray. Various extra-cost styling bars, covers, cargo area coatings and hardtops will also available for the Amarok cargo compartment.

The Amarok Aventura features 20-inch alloy wheels and the Park Distance Control parking assistant, which utilises a rear-view camera. There’s also bi-xenon (HID) headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED licence plate lighting and LED-illuminated side sills under the doors (Australian market availability it yet to be confirmed).