Test drive VW Amarok, PanAmericana and Rockton

Four-wheel drive commercial vehicles are in the lineup of many brands, but VW offers an impressive selection. Full-time four-wheel drive and a special off-road mode of electronics - this is enough for the most difficult areas

It seems to be an off-road test, but we rush along the winding road in an understated Amarok pickup. In general, Seikel generally increases the ground clearance of VW commercial vehicles, not decreases it. For example, the new VW Transporter Rockton all-terrain vehicle was created with her direct participation.

Volkswagen offers all-wheel drive not only for the Amarok pickup, but also for the Transporter, Multivan and Caddy. And all these cars are collected in the vicinity of the Vogelsberg basalt massif. Local unpaved and gravel roads were chosen by rally drivers, but the further into the forest, the deeper the ruts and the fatter the mud. For Germany, off-roading is more than serious, but the Amarok does not think so.

A pickup with a powerful engine and a ground clearance of 192 mm easily climbs up muddy slopes, and in flooded areas drives a seething turbid wave with a bumper. The new 6-liter V3,0 diesel that powers the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne delivers impressive torque: 500 Nm of torque already at 1400 rpm. For comparison, only 420 Newton meters were removed from the previous two-liter unit with the help of two turbines.

The "automatic" has a short first gear, so the absence of a lowered row is not critical. Full-time all-wheel drive and a special off-road mode of electronics, skillfully operating the brakes - this is enough for even the most difficult sections. The suspension of an empty pickup truck is stiff, but passengers are still comfortable - the body is quiet, the engine does not need to be turned, it runs at low revs and does not bother with vibrations and noise. Inside, the pickup looks not like a utility truck, but like an SUV, especially in the top version of the Aventura with high-quality leather seats and a large-screen multimedia system.

For the all-wheel drive Caddy and Multivan PanAmericana, the route is a little simpler, but it's still strange to see a heel and a minivan making their way along a forest dirt road. The PanAmericana's ground clearance is increased by 20 mm, the underbody is covered with armor, and the floor is protected by corrugated aluminum. But everything that is above the floor is from Multivan: a transforming salon with a folding table, leather seats and good sound insulation.

The second row armchairs can be turned against the direction of the sofa - you get a cozy living room. Entering it from the street, stamping dirty boots on the shiny surface, is extremely indecent. PanAmericana is more of a car for long journeys: soft suspension, powerful diesel (180 hp) and gasoline (204 hp) engines in combination with a seven-speed "robot". The Haldex clutch quickly engages the rear axle, off-road mode dampens the throttle and fights with slip brakes. There is even a rear differential lock just in case.

Nevertheless, with a tall and narrow minibus, you need to be careful: on a road that is slippery from mud, it now and then strives to move into a ditch or rub against the branches with a sparkling side. On a rough road, the car sways, and in especially deep ruts it strikes the underbody protection against the ground - this option will obviously be useful.

The Caddy Alltrack also does not shine with good geometry, in which the powerful rear axle body hangs low. It is through the efforts of Seikel that all-wheel drive VWs from the commercial line can be made more passable: increase ground clearance and strengthen the suspension using a set of springs and shock absorbers, protect the engine crankcase, transmission, gas tank, and install a snorkel. Test VWs were accompanied by just a converted Seikel "technical car".

The company started with two-wheeled vehicles NSU - back in the 1950s, Josef Berthold Seikel was engaged in its sales and repairs. Josef's son Peter was fond of motor sports, and through participation in rally raids Seikel came to the off-road tuning of VW. Since then, she has worked closely with the automaker, for example, and in the 2000s helped fine-tune the suspension and transmission of the first Transporter 4MOTION.

The Transporter Rockton is also the result of co-creation: Seikel increased the ground clearance and shortened the transmission. This is a more modest option than PanAmericana - a simple interior, minimum options, and a 150-horsepower diesel engine is paired with a manual gearbox. The cargo and passenger compartments are separated by a grill, and 36 bolts will have to be unscrewed to move the three-seater sofa along the slide. The Rockton is noisier and harder, and more steering effort. Nevertheless, the clearance increased by 30 mm and the toothed tires are enough to easily pass the entire off-road track.

However, Seikel is capable of more - it brought the T5 and Amarok to the test on portal bridges. Impressive, but the representative of the company allowed to ride just on an understated pickup. This is the first such experience of the company, but it showed interesting results. The Amarok, with its top-end V6, can accelerate to 100 km / h in less than 8 seconds, and the low center of gravity and wide, low profile tires have done wonders for the pickup's handling.

A Seikel spokesman boasted that the car easily accelerates to 230 km / h and remains docile. But the stock brakes are no longer enough for the nimble Amarok. Practical Germans lowered the ground clearance by only 5 cm in order to maintain the pickup's carrying capacity. Moreover, understating the Amarok will be slightly more expensive than increasing the ground clearance - primarily due to the huge disks. However, off-road tuning will remain Seikel's core business.

Four-wheel drive commercial vehicles are in the lineup of so many automakers, but VW offers an impressive array of options. Why does the concern need the laurels of the German UAZ? This is what the market demands. Last year, out of 477 thousand commercial Volkswagen, 88,5 thousand were sold with a 4MOTION transmission. That is, every fifth Volkswagen buyers choose with all-wheel drive. Such cars are willingly taken in Austria and Switzerland for driving in the mountains. In Norway, the share of all-wheel drive "Volkswagens" reaches 83%, and in Russia about a third of cars bear the 4MOTION nameplate.

VW with all drive wheels in Russia turned out to be expensive. The price for an "empty" Rockton with a 140-horsepower diesel starts at $ 33. There is a simple semi-automatic air conditioning and rear locking, and the rest, including side airbags, will have to pay extra. An Amarok with a V633 engine will cost almost $ 6, but the equipment in this case will be rich.

Prices for the PanAmericana start at $ 46 but it will be a modest two-wheel drive version with a 005-horsepower diesel engine and manual transmission. With a 102 hp engine, "robot" and four-wheel drive, this car will cost almost a million more. A serious amount to go so easily with her into the impenetrable forest.

Body type
Pickup	Combi	Minivan
Dimensions (length / width / height), mm
5254/1954/1834	5254/1954/1990	4904/2297/1990
Wheelbase, mm
3097	3097	3000
Ground clearance, mm
192	232	222
Curb weight, kg
1857-2300	2328	2353
Gross vehicle weight, kg
2820-3080	3080	3080
engine's type
Turbodiesel B6	Four-cylinder turbodiesel	Four-cylinder turbodiesel
Working volume, cubic meters cm
2967	1984	1968
Max. power, hp (at rpm)
224/3000-4500	140/3750-6000	180/4000
Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm)
550/1400-2750	280/1500-3750	400/1500-2000
Drive type, transmission
Full, AKP8	Full, MKP6	Full, RCP7
Max. speed km / h
193	170	188
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s
7,9	15,3	12,1
Fuel consumption, average, l / 100 km
7,6	10,4	11,1
Price, $.
38 945	33 633	57 770