Interview with Mr Schomburg on naming the pickup - Amarok

Mr Schomburg, how did you come up with the name, and what is the reason for the wolf analogy?

We were looking for an authentic name that fits the characteristics of our pickup just right and works perfectly around the globe.

The Amarok is a particularly powerful and robust vehicle with great stamina that can adapt to a great variety of situations. All these characteristics can also be attributed to the wolf.

Since our pickup is something special, we also had special requirements with regard to its name. I think we succeeded in finding a good match.

How do you pronounce the name and does it have the same associations everywhere?

All three syllables are equally stressed.

We made a point of choosing a name that also works easily in the Romance languages; that is, specifically in South America. To ensure this, all major markets were closely involved in the entire naming process. The literal meaning of "he loves stones" in the Romance languages fits right in with our pickup.

Will the vehicle be called Amarok in all the markets or are there exceptions?

The use of the name in such a great number of markets will be nearly unrivalled by other Volkswagen models. That is why the global presence and acceptance of the name was important to us. No exceptions are planned.

When will the vehicle be launched?

We are starting the launch in South America. The world premiere will take place in Argentina at the end of the year, starting our launch activities. The Amarok is set to hit South American dealerships from March. The European launch is planned for Summer 2010.

(Harald Schomburg is Chief of Sales and Marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.)