This comes after the Wolfsburg automaker introduced a 150 kW version in the United Kingdom earlier this week, priced at £25 600 (R471 851) and offering a six-speed manual 'box instead of the current 165 kW derivative's eight-speed Tiptronic, and selectable low range as opposed to a permanent all-wheel drive setup.
Making 500 Nm of torque instead of 550 Nm, the new unit propels the Amarok from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 8.4 seconds, and is claimed to consume diesel at a rate of 32.5 mpg or 8.6 L/100 km. Top speed is a claimed 192 km/h with a payload of 1 050 kg.
Some reports have also claimed that a 120 kW V6 could debut in the UK as well, although this model seems unlikely for the local market as it will most likely clash with the 132 kW 2.0-litre BiTDI on price. If indeed confirmed for South Africa, expect the 150 kW Amarok manual to debut after the February 2018 launch of the UK version.