Oman trek: into the wilderness
A thirst for adventure. An appetite for work.
Perched high up in northeast Oman sit the Al Sherqiya Desert and the Eastern Al Hajar mountains, the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian peninsula.
An unforgiving blend of punishing desert terrain, vertigo-inducing gradients and some of the world’s most demanding driving conditions. In other words, the perfect playground for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' Amarok. Because this is a pickup that has been engineered to go anywhere, whatever the terrain.
So, we packed up the truck and headed out to the wilderness to test the Amarok’s core claim of being strong, tough and just as comfortable off-road as on.
The Amarok powered up steep inclines and stayed rock solid on the loosest terrain. It transitioned easily between the bumpy off-road sections and onto the smooth desert highway.
Feel the power
The new version of the 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine—now beefed up to produce 258PS and with an additional 14PS available through a standard overboost function—means the Amarok never lacks power. With up to 580Nm of torque, the Amarok powered up even the steepest of inclines and stayed rock solid on the loosest of terrain.
Driving conditions can change in the blink of an eye in Oman’s ever-varied terrain. But thanks to the Amarok’s 4MOTION, all-wheel drive system and solid 8-speed automatic gearbox, it transitioned easily between the bumpy off-road sections and onto the smooth desert highway.
Protection from the elements
The Amarok may have rugged styling on the outside, but the interior is tailor-made to keep you comfortable whatever the conditions. Cocooned in the form-hugging ergonomic seats with 12-way adjustments and heated seat options, we arrived at our overnight camps fresh. Even the punishing desert sun didn’t cause us to break a sweat; the Amarok’s automatic climate control continuously adapted to the climate, keeping us cool whenever the heat began to bite.
Stay safe on the road
The soaring Eastern Al Hajar mountains will challenge the most hardened off-road drivers. But the Amarok’s Hill Descent Control and Off-road ABS meant that we handled every incline and decline with a confidence, leaving us free to admire the stunning, remote desert landscapes.
Being so far from civilisation, you want a solid guide to keep you safe and point you in the right direction. The Amarok was the perfect travel companion, thanks to its outstanding safety features. The clear, accurate and easy to follow guidance system kept us heading in the right direction, even when the term ‘road’ became somewhat redundant.
The new Amarok was more than a match for everything our desert adventure could throw at it. After being such a great travel partner for us, we’re confident it’ll be the perfect companion for your next adventure. Wherever life takes you.
Pack for adventure
We had no problem carrying every last piece of camping equipment thanks to the Amarok’s wide load platform and accessible tailgate. We never had to worry that we might be packing too much.
Overall, the new Amarok was more than a match for everything our desert adventure could throw at it. After being such a great travel partner for us, we’re confident it’ll be the perfect companion for your next adventure. Wherever life takes you.
Get your own Amarok
Feeling inspired? The Amarok combines everything that you expect from an exclusive, premium-class all-rounder: a masculine design and robust construction along with plenty of power.
The Amarok combines high ground clearance and excellent body stability with proven 4MOTION all-wheel drive. The result: traction in virtually every situation, even with heavy payloads. Get yours now.
