VOLKSWAGEN Australia apprentices have beaten last year’s World Time Attack Challenge lap time by nearly two seconds in the locally constructed Amarok V6 pick-up.

A team of the company’s top tier apprentices beat the 1:59 second time set by the Golf GTI in 2016 with a blistering 1:57.01 lap in the revised 4×4 Amarok Highline at Sydney Motorsport Park.

As previously reported, the team was made up of top apprentices from the company’s head office workshop in Sydney as well as the national dealer network, and was led by mentors from Volkswagen Group Australia as well as from its supplier network.

The team spent a week dismantling and rebuilding a stock Amarok V6 in preparation for the lap time attempt, but the pick-up’s 165kW/550Nm turbo-diesel V6 powerplant was left in its standard form, with VW boasting that it was “proof of its track-blazing credentials”.

As well as stripping back some of the weight of the Amarok, the apprentices added a custom-built suspension package, called ‘The Big Bad Wolf’, supplied by Bilstein, and fitted it with an AP Racing brake setup in collaboration with V-Sport technicians.

To finish off, the Amarok was wrapped in custom vinyl by Shane’s Signs and the team used semi-slick Michelin tyres.

The team worked with the race driver Ben Porter who provided feedback on ways to improve the Amarok in preparation for its four high-sped track sessions on Friday and Saturday.

During the first session, Mr Porter equalled the 1:59s lap previously achieved by the Golf GTI before the modified Amarok crossed the finish line with a 1:57.01s time.

VW said the World Time Attack Challenge commentary team proclaimed the tweaked workhorse as “the world’s fastest Amarok”.

The company said there was an eager crowd of motorsport fans on hand to watch the lap attempt and that the team of apprentices, mentors, technicians and VW staff were “ecstatic” when the Amarok beat the GTI’s lap time.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia director Carlos Santos praised the team involved in the time challenge.

“We’re enormously proud of our Amarok V6, which we’ve always seen as the leader of the pack in terms of power,” he said.

“Thanks to this incredible team of Volkswagen apprentices, we’ve been able to show just how much power is under the hood of the Amarok – 550Nm is great for towing a boat or caravan; and now we can add smashing lap times to that list.”

Volkswagen Group Australia PR and brand experience manager Kurt McGuiness said the modified Amarok highlighted VW engineering and the abilities of the apprentices.

“It’s fantastic that this team of young apprentices not only met the challenge head-on, but far surpassed it on the track,” he said.

“It’s important for us at Volkswagen to offer unique learning experiences to our apprentices. Our Big Bad Wolf Amarok track car is not only an example of our superior engineering, it’s also a way for us as a business to support the lifeblood of our industry in Australia.”

By Tim Nicholson