In the quest for the leisure pickup, Volkswagen rolled the dice with the Amarok 2.0-TSI. A vehicle that was far away from their regular lineup vehicles. It was far from the Volkswagen commercial vehicles, as well. Volkswagen brand had two big divisions: the personal car and the commercial vehicle unit. The Amarok was launched by the latter, with some help from the former, especially with the engines and transmissions. The Amarok was intended to be a pickup for leisure, something like a RAM 1500 or Nissan Frontier. The car looked tough and strong on its body-on-frame construction. The Amarok brought some amenities in and outside the vehicle. With its strong presence, and longitudinal blades on the grille, it looked like a serious contender on the market. Inside, there were choices for cloth or leather seats. Simple radios or a complex infotainment unit with navigation system. The top trim levels featured leather upholstery with heated front seats. The Amarok featured a small, 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine, or a 2.0-TSI engine which was mated either wit a 6-speed manual or an 8 speed automatic, depending on the market. An option for a locking rear differential was offered. The Amarok didn't feature a transfer case with low range, but the lower gears were short enough to move the pickup in off-road or pull a boat out of the water.