Why It's Not Coming Here: VW Amarok priced at $35k in Europe

One of the last details concerning the Volkswagen Amarok, its price in euros, has been filled in: �26,203, or $35,260 U.S. in the ever misleading straight-up conversion from euros to dollars. Subtracting the 19 percent duty folded into that price in Germany, you're still left spending �21,224, or $28,555 U.S. That's what you call "Holy smokes!"

If we want to make the admittedly difficult attempt to put some context around that without diving into European taxes and price structures, let's take the Golf. The most basic two-door version is �16,650, or $22,399 U.S. Subtract that 19 percent duty and you're at �13,487, which is $18,144. That matches up quite nicely with the U.S. price for the base two-door model: $17,620.

Back to that bog-standard Amarok � at $28,555, you're just a grand short of a Ford F-150 XL Super Cab, which decimates the 122-horsepower Amarok in everything but gas mileage. By the time you get to the Amarok in Highline trim, you're up to 163 hp and you've added four-wheel-drive, but you've also got a �37,169 ($50,022 U.S.) bill before taxes and fees. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why there will be zero VW Amaroks sold in these fifty states. For the rest of you, start saving.


[Source: PickupTrucks.com]