CLASS-LEADING power will be the main focus for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia when it launches the marketing campaign for its newest and most expensive dual-cab pick-up yet, the Amarok TDI580 Ultimate.

Speaking to GoAutoNews Premium at the recent Amarok TDI580 Ultimate national media launch in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia director Carlos Santos revealed that the company’s next campaign will highlight the flagship variant’s potent performance.

“Power is everything for us,” he said. “So, a big brand campaign around it. It won’t be retail-style campaign, it’ll be branding.

“It’s about power, it’s about overtaking, it’s about towing. With the spec, it’s about maintaining the most powerful ute, which it has.

“The marketing strategy is brutally important for this car, and we want it to have a halo effect over everything. I think our best message is (it is the) most powerful, and that’s what the campaign will focus around.”

Priced from $71,990 before on-road costs, the Amarok TDI580 Ultimate is motivated by 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 that produces up to 200kW of power and 580Nm of torque – a 20kW/30Nm improvement over its predecessor. Braked towing capacity remains at 3500kg.

Mr Santos confirmed that the range-topper’s brand campaign will roll out with television and radio commercials, as well as in the form of print and digital media advertisements.

This move will represent a departure for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia, which has used former Australian rugby union player Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins for its most recent Amarok campaign, dubbed ‘Badger Talk’.

“Honey Badger was unbelievable for us,” Mr Santos said. “We signed him before he was on (Channel 10 dating show) The Bachelor.

“He’s just been great. He came to the (Birdsville) Big Red Bash with us. I think he’s a great fit for us. We couldn’t be happier with him.

“We’ll give him a rest now, (but) he’s really good for our retail campaigns, (including) the Badger Talk website.

“That was really successful for us. That was our highest-hit webpage across the entire (Volkswagen) Group, especially when The Bachelor started.”

Badger Talk attempted to turn Amarok-related automotive jargon into ‘easy-to-understand’ colloquialisms that Mr Cummins is renowned for. For example, ‘550Nm of torque’ translates to ‘more grunt than a pig farm’.

By Justin Hilliard