2026 Volkswagen Amarok W600: First look at Australia's new Walkinshaw-tuned ute

The collaboration between Volkswagen and Walkinshaw is back.

After the success of its previous-generation W-Series utes, Volkswagen Australia has confirmed it will launch a new Amarok flagship engineered by Walkinshaw Automotive.

Dubbed the W600, the new model is currently in pre-production development and is scheduled to arrive in local showrooms in the third quarter of 2026.

We’ve had a sneak peek at the engineering prototype to see exactly what Walkinshaw has changed to transform the second-generation, Ford Ranger-based Amarok dual-cab from a jack-of-all-trades into a more focused on-road tourer.

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The ‘600’ in the name refers to the 600Nm torque output of the W600’s standard 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine. Walkinshaw has confirmed there are no changes to the powertrain’s outputs, meaning it will continue to produce 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque.

But while the engine remains stock, the Amarok’s chassis has received a comprehensive overhaul aimed specifically at improving on-road dynamics and steering feel.

The headline change is the fitment of new Koni frequency-selective dampers. These shock absorbers are able to mechanically detect the frequency of inputs – distinguishing between low-frequency inputs (like cornering forces) and high-frequency inputs (like road corrugations or bumps).

Walkinshaw has taken an off-road version of the Koni damper and integrated this frequency-selective technology to create a setup specifically for this dual-cab 4×4 ute application. The dampers are painted blue to stand out inside the wheel-arches.

Because the new-generation Amarok shares its Australian-developed ladder-frame platform with the Ranger, the rear dampers are mounted outboard of the chassis rails. This gave engineers a solid baseline to improve stability, but they have taken it a step further by adding a 22mm rear sway bar.

Fitting a rear sway bar to a ute with leaf springs is complex due to clearance issues with brake lines and the differential. Walkinshaw had to change the shackles on the leaf springs to accommodate the new hardware, which is designed to resist body roll at the rear of the vehicle.

Because a rear sway bar can limit wheel articulation off-road, Volkswagen’s new Walkie-tuned Amarok is being pitched as a dynamic road vehicle rather than a rock-crawler, so the trade-off is calculated and the W600 is therefore more of a successor to the old Amarok W580S than the W580X.

The suspension changes are paired with a significant upgrade in rolling stock. The W600 rides on unique 20-inch forged alloy wheels, designed in Australia by a former HSV designer.

Wrapped around those alloys are Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres. This is a major shift from the standard Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT tyres found on the standard Amarok, which often struggle for grip in wet conditions.

The move to a performance-oriented SUV tyre suggests Walkinshaw is serious about fixing the wet-weather traction issues inherent to the platform.

The new wheel and tyre package also gives the ute a wider stance, with revised offsets filling the guards more aggressively. Despite the focus on performance, the W600 is expected to retain the standard Amarok’s 3500kg braked towing capacity.

Visually, the prototype wears camouflage on its more aggressive new front bumper and grille, but we can see an integrated LED light bar that connects the two headlights – a feature absent on the standard model. The front VW logo has been repositioned, requiring recalibration of the radar and camera systems housed within it.

Down the side, the W600 features electrically operated side steps. These deploy when the doors open to make entry easier and then retract once they’re closed – a feature more typically seen on full-size American pickups like the Ram 1500.

At the rear, a new side-exit exhaust system features dual outlets that emerge behind the rear wheels. The system is new from the diesel particulate filter (DPF) back and provides a meatier exhaust note to give the V6 diesel a bit more character.

The exterior is finished with 3D-printed badging (on the prototype) and black ‘AMAROK’ lettering on the tailgate.

Inside, the W600 builds on the mid-spec Amarok Style grade, which is positioned above the Core and Life variants but below the PanAmericana and Aventura flagships.

However, upgrades include premium leather upholstery with ‘W’ branding stitched into the head restraints, W600-branded floor mats, and stainless steel sports pedals.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the transmission logic. The standard 10-speed automatic transmission lacks a dedicated ‘Sport’ mode for aggressive driving, and without paddle shifters manual control is limited to the buttons on the gear selector.

Walkinshaw is currently conducting validation testing at the Lang Lang proving ground to finalise the tune of the suspension and steering.

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but given the extent of the engineering work – including the custom forged wheels, Koni active dampers, rear anti-roll bar, new exhaust, and interior upgrades – the W600 will sit at the premium end of the ute market.

We expect to get behind the wheel of a prototype around mid-year, ahead of the W600’s official launch in late 2026.

MORE: Explore the Volkswagen Amarok showroom