Skoda considered an Amarok of its own

Skoda considered its own version of the first-generation Volkswagen Amarok, but it was deemed that the market relevance where the Czech brand was present was too small.

The Volkswagen-owned brand didn’t proceed with its plans, according to Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer, because it didn’t have the presence it needed in markets where utes, or pick-ups, are most popular.

“There are only really three markets in the world that are big in this market, in these size utes, which is South America where Skoda is not, there’s South Africa where Skoda is currently not, and there’s Australia,” Irmer said.

“There were debates in the previous generation, I know, but they did not come to fruition,” Irmer revealed.

“Whenever the next generation of the product is developed, and commercial products have a long life-cycle, we will see what the outcome is going to be.”

(Amarok below, speculative Skoda ute rendering above by Theophilus Chin)

But Irmer confirmed that if the second-generation Volkswagen Amarok – which could arrive before 2020 – were to be shared with Skoda, the company’s local arm would be very excited.

“From an Australian perspective if there was one, we would throw a party!” Irmer exclaimed.

“There’s a lot of talk in the Skoda Australia team – with an Amarok V6 would be nice,” he said with a laugh. “But it’s really nothing defined at this stage.

“If there was a tool ute available to us, we would go for it. But at the moment there is no talk about that, to what I know.”

There is still a chance, though. Irmer said that a ute would offer much more appeal than a Skoda version of a Caddy or Transporter van, for example.

Stay tuned. This story could well evolve…

MORE: Amarok news, reviews, comparisons and videos
MORE: All Skoda news and reviews