Walkinshaw’s collaboration with Volkswagen will continue, with confirmation that the second-gen, Walkinshaw-tuned Amarok has been given the green light.

Reports indicate that the vehicle is slated to launch in Australia in 2026, with testing to begin within the next few months. It is expected that the Walkinshaw Amarok will retain the stock Amarok’s powertrain, in either 184kW/600Nm V6 or 222kW/452Nm four-cylinder turbo-petrol guise – as seen in the top-spec Aventura.

Details are scarce at this stage, with only a shadowy render released at this stage (above). However, the teaser image does reveal a unique grille pattern, an LED light bar running between (and connecting) the headlights, a sailplane, wider wheel arches, and alloy wheels.

The upcoming variant will build on the success of the W580 – the last iteration of which was the W580X, an off-road-focused variant given a suspension lift and off-road tune courtesy of MTV twin-tube dampers front and rear. It was also strengthened with underbody protection and heavy duty rock sliders. The W580S was a road-oriented version wearing 20-inch alloys, and road-biased suspension.

The Walkinshaw-fettled W580 utilised a tuned 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, producing 190kW and 580Nm and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Other changes include the addition of twin-tube dampers and bold style tweaks including Walkinshaw insignia.

Late last year, Walkinshaw and Isuzu launched the D-MAX Blade, a flagship model exclusive to the Australian market. There is also speculation that Isuzu could also be planning to give its MU-X the Walkinshaw treatment.

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