Motoring

with Doctor Clive FraserNoosa’s North Shore is an idyllic piece of real estate on the doorstep of the Sunshine Coast.

As a medical student, the best way to get there was to take the ferry across the Noosa River and take off up the beach in a friend’s dune buggy.

Back in the 1970s there was an endless supply of 1960s V-Dubs that could be debrided back to a bare chassis.

Fitting a fibreglass body kit and fat tyres was within the competence of any home handyman and most dune buggies sat under houses in readiness for a trip up the beach that might not ever happen.

Whilst the ferry is still there today, many of the 4WDs now heading across the Noosa River are Japanese (or Korean) with leather seats and traction control.

Luxury offerings have climate control air conditioning, which is a far cry from the comfort offered by the open-top dune buggy.

In 2011, VW released another Noosa North Shore beach-stormer in the shape of the Amarok (meaning ‘wolf’ in Inuit).

Manufactured in Argentina, the Amarok is aimed at Toyota’s Hi Lux, Nissan’s Navara and the much-improved Ford Ranger / Mazda BT50.

Up until now, sales of the Amarok in Australia haven’t been on fire and at present only a manual transmission is offered.

Last year, only 2,649 Amaroks were sold in a utility market of 150,000+ vehicles, but VW is optimistic that an 8 speed automatic gearbox arriving in 2012 will broaden the model’s appeal.

The 2011 Amaroks were plagued with clutch problems, which resulted in a recall, but this was sorted out in the 2012 car that I drove.

I also noticed that the cabin was much quieter in the 2012 vehicle as the door rubbers have been upgraded.

The doors take a little more elbow grease to close, but on the inside it doesn’t sound like a truck.  The Amarok is the quietest ute I’ve ever driven.

VW have thoughtfully placed three 12V sockets in the front to power up all manner of gadgets, but I didn’t like where they put the handbrake lever.  It’s way over to the left of the centre console.

That might be where it belongs in a left-hand-drive vehicle, but when the driver sits on the right it is a stretch to reach over to it.

The cup holders are also worth checking out.  VW has ingeniously made them removable from the dashboard.  It’s just a shame that they don’t have any bottom and won’t hold the cups we Aussies like to drink from.

On the road, things are very smooth and the two litre diesel engine returns a frugal 7.9 l/100km. 

Off the road, things are OK with low range in the 4X4 four-wheel drive variant. In the sand with the tyre pressures reduced, the Amarok went everywhere I wanted to go without getting bogged.

The 120 kW Amarok doesn’t have enough power to get off the beach in second gear and maybe in this situation it needs more than two litres of motor to haul two tonnes of metal through the soft sand up-hill.

The rear diff lock is electronic and the owner’s manual does warn that the brakes may overheat if it is left on for too long as it basically works off the ABS to stop wheel spin.

In the back, the tie-downs are on the floor of the tray, which won’t suit most tradies, and the chrome rear bumper on the Ultimate would not be strong enough to tie your dog to.

With prices starting at $31,990 + ORC for a base model 90 kW rear-wheel drive Amarok, it remains to be seen if Aussies will switch from their love affair with Japanese utes.

VW Amarok Ultimate 4X4

Specifications:

2.0 litre twin turbo diesel

120 kW power @ 4,000 rpm

400 Nm torque @ 1,500 rpm

6 speed manual

7.9 l/100 km (combined)

$58,490 + ORC

For: Economical.

Against: Pricey.

This car would suit: Noosa GPs.

Safe motoring,

Doctor Clive Fraser

doctorclivefraser@hotmail.com