Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Volkswagen sends three beefy Amarok pickups across Russia for Sochi Winter Olympics

Trevor Dermody
By

While athletics obviously dominate the Olympic Games, they inevitably need a way to get to the games, which is quite a problem considering the harsh winter climate of Sochi.

Volkswagen group has answered Old Man Winter with a beast of a truck: a beefed up version of its commonplace Volkswagen Amarok, dubbed the Polar Expedition Amarok, according to Gear Patrol.

In order to survive the brutal landscape, the truck has been equipped with tires that make Jeep owners drool and fenders you could build a small house under. The suspension, shocks, and general componentry underneath the bumpers have been improved in order to handle the unrelenting conditions.

With the journey, Volkswagen put its ever-famous 4motion four-wheel drive to the test and trusted the Amarok’s 2.0-liter BiTDI diesel engine, that puts out 175 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque, to propel the Amarok through the often road-less Russian tundra.

The vehicle has also been given a larger-than-life roll cage, enhanced lighting, and improved communication systems. In other words, the Polar Expedition Amarok is what off-road junkies everywhere dream about.

The special edition Amarok has already proven itself a fair master of the Russian winter. Three of the vehicles made a  16,000 mile trek from Moscow to Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky, an expedition that makes the Rubicon trail look like a daily commute.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Dermody
Trevor Dermody
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Best electric car charger deals: $100 off home charging stations
The handle of the Grizzl-E EV charger plugged into a vehicle.

A few years ago, electric vehicles were pretty rare or cost a fortune, but with more and more of the larger car brands getting into the game, there are a lot of excellent and even budget-friendly choices nowadays. That said, the electrical network for charging your cars might not be that widespread, so instead you'll have to rely on charging your car at home. Luckily, there are a lot of excellent car chargers at a discount, so if you've just bought an EV or want to upgrade your current charging solution, be sure to check out our favorite deals below.
Shockflo EV charger — $205, was $220

This EV charger by Shockflo is a Level 2 EV charger, which offers six times faster charging than a standard charger. It delivers 24 miles with just one hour of charging, and it can act as a mobile charger you can throw in the trunk or be mounted to a wall. It has an LCD display with useful information like charging rate, voltage, and charging time, as well as LED indicator lights that lets you know charging progress and errors.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more
Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs
Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Read more