It's already common knowledge that the next-generation Volkswagen Amarok will be sourcing its platform from the all-new Ford Ranger. The higher-ups of the brand have confirmed that its iteration of the midsize truck will not simply be a straight reskin of the American product, but rather have its own unique DNA. A set of quotes from Australia now suggests that the German brand wants to double down on this with a possible R performance variant.

Speaking to CarsGuide, Volkswagen Australia Commercial Vehicles Director, Ryan Davies says that his team is investigating a partnership with Walkinshaw to develop a proposed Amarok R truck that can challenge the Ranger Raptor head-on. This division has already developed a specialized product with the aftermarket firm in the shape of the Amarok W580.

Davies comments, "There is opportunity for everything in the pick-up segment. It's definitely an option. It's what we need to investigate now." The aforementioned partnership with Walkinshaw proved to be a successful collaboration for the brand as it resulted in 1,000 additional deliveries in 2021. The brand wants to increase this to 1,500 units before the arrival of the new generation model.

Obviously, any future collaborations would be exclusive to the market Down Under but it certainly opens up the possibility of the same strategy being applied in other regions. The W580 employed Volkswagen's turbodiesel 3.0-liter V6 with its base power output of 268 horsepower, but the system was manipulated so that the 428 lb-ft of torque available during overboost was permanently locked-in. The product was so successful that it was followed up by a W580X trim, which added an uprated off-road suspension.

Now that the Amarok will be sharing a platform with the Ford Ranger, a market introduction into the USA is looking more likely. Volkswagen's promise for this model is that it will be the most advanced truck in its segment with more advanced driver-assist systems and infotainment connectivity than any of its competitors.

Engine options are still a mystery but there is speculation that it will inherit the current turbodiesel V6 with a higher power output. For reference, the Power Stroke V6 found in the upcoming Ranger has been confirmed to produce 254 hp and 442 lb-ft. The Raptor variant, which we should be seeing sometime this month, is likely to deliver quite a bit more than this.