VW said the name means "wolf" in Inuit. (In a bizarre side note, VW also claims the name "translates into 'he loves stones' in the languages spoken in South America.")
A double-cab pickup with four-wheel drive, the Amarok will be built in Argentina and will launch initially in South America in early 2010. It will reach Central America in spring, then Russia and Europe in summer, followed by Africa and Australia.
VW spokesman Steve Keyes told Inside Line that "there are no plans to bring the truck to the U.S. It's targeted (primarily) for South America and Europe."
The Web site pickuptrucks.com reports that a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office application database shows that VW has registered the Amarok name for use in this market.
VW said the truck eventually will be offered in a single-cab model. It will be outfitted in most markets with VW's next-generation TDI engines.
Inside Line says: Rhymes with "run amok." — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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