The Volkswagen Amarok is undoubtedly one of the most capable vehicles in the German automaker’s lineup. It can go on-road, off-road, tow heavy things, and comes with a sizeable truck bed, but we’d wager that none of the engineers ever expected anybody to take it on the track. However, Darkside Developments decided to change that in a recent video where they bring a customer’s Amarok to a track day at Donnington Park race circuit.
Before we start, we’d be remiss not to mention that the owner of the vehicle gave the guys permission to thrash his pride and joy out on track. It was certainly quite a shock to hear at first, but refreshing to see a customer with such trust in the people who wrench on his truck.
Amarok newsroom:
Semantics aside, this isn’t any ordinary Amarok that we’re talking about here. The example in the video has received a substantial number of modifications including a hefty tune on its diesel powerplant – which now produces around 400 bhp (298.2 kilowatts).
Other alterations to the truck include a lowering kit and brake kit which are obviously very important when it comes to track use. Sure, it hasn’t been transformed into a NASCAR race truck, but it’s clear that the upgraded VW can still properly boogie around the track; at one point in the video it passed a BMW X5 M50d with relative ease.
For a truck that tips the scales at just over 2,040 kilograms (4,500 pounds), this thing is pretty rapid.
Source: Darkside Developments via YouTube