In most vehicle reviews, many of us will seek out things like top speed and the 0-100km/h times. These are of course connected to the engine’s HP/kW and Ft-Lbs/Nm outputs. Essentially, kW is the measurement of power which provides the ‘glory boy’ top speed while Nm is the hardworking torque measurement, the turning or pulling power that your engine is able to produce and often in turn, how quickly your vehicle will accelerate.
The Description
But many of us don’t know what an Nm is, so let me explain. A newton is basically 100g of force moving in one direction, therefore, if you were to grab 100g of your favourite bar of chocolate and hold this on your hand, it would be applying one newton of force downwards. Now if you put the same bar of chocolate on the end of a one-metre long spanner, this would result in 1Nm (newton-metre) of torque being applied to turn the nut at the other end. Now put 58kg of chocolate on that same bar and you get 580Nm – see simple and in so many ways, quite yummy. That’s exactly what VW has done with their new Amarok but unfortunately not with chocolate, with their V6 diesel.
The Wrapper and The Soft Centre
The Amarok is over 5.2m long and over 2.2m wide so not ideal for compact city driving, however, surprisingly enough it handles the around town work well. Visibility is good and the smart interior lends itself well to domestic life. The park distance control system beeps when necessary and the camera is very clear. Nappa leather upholstery adds refinement to the seating and the rest of the cabin is uncluttered with a hint towards the commercial. The infotainment system is good, instrument cluster is clean and you get a sense of overall comfort, particularly since my seat could be 14-way electronic adjusted.
Praline – Because It’s Nutty
The V6 580Nm is Volkswagen’s most powerful Amarok to date. Behind its BiXenon headlights is a 3L VTG turbo diesel engine that produces 200kW of power (190kW plus 10 extra kW of overboost for overtaking etc) and 580Nm of (sportscar territory) torque. It will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of around 200km/h.
The Sampler
With the city behind me, the dusty forest roads of Woodhill were next on my list and I’m happy they were. Quite frankly, the roads are rough and jarring, offer plenty of curves and will test the most rugged of frames. The Amarok came up trumps. With the yellow traction light flashing in a frenzied fashion I travelled the unkempt roads like a pro.
The Sweet Aftertaste
The Amarok V6 580Nm feels as good off-road as it does on. It’s a powerful truck that does a lot of the hard work behind the scenes leaving you relaxed and in control. It’s a sweet ride that offers comfort and style plus that 580Nm is a serious amount of torque to have available underfoot – trouble is, now all I can think about is 58kg of chocolate. Best I head to the store and load up that huge tray.
Photography — Tezmphoto.com
