Facelifted Volkswagen Amarok revealed

The facelifted Volkswagen Amarok has been revealed, and will go on sale later this year.

Chief among the Mitsubishi L200 and Nissan Navara rival's upgrades is a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, which will be available in 161bhp, 201bhp and 221bhp forms. Top-end versions of the engine produce 406lb ft of torque. In comparison, the current Amarok comes with a twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel with up to 161bhp and 295lb ft.

Read our Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI 224 Highline review here

The engine is coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and buyers can choose between rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models. A manual transmission will also be offered on some versions.

Volkswagen says that in its lowest-powered form, the new Amarok should be capable of returning 37.1mpg with CO2 emissions of around 199g/km. In both cases, that's more economical than the current car. VW says that in each of its three states of tune, the new V6 engine complies with Euro 6 emissions standards.

Other mechanical upgrades for the new Amarok include larger brake discs, and lighter Servotronic steering, which VW says will allow the car to be driven very precisely. The suite of safety equipment also now includes post-collision braking, and drivers can opt for a rear-view camera to help with parking.

While updates to the Amarok's exterior styling are relatively minor - a new front bumper and headlight arrangement as well as larger alloy wheels - the interior comes with a new dashboard layout designed to improve the pick-up's ergonomics. Despite the design changes, the Amarok's exterior dimensions have not changed.

While the previous Amarok could tow loads of up to 3.2 tonnes, Volkswagen says future variants will be able to tow up to 3.5 tonnes.

The new Amarok will go on sale in September, with the most powerful variants being offered first. Prices have yet to be revealed, but they are likely to be slightly higher than the current car, which is priced from £20,930.