As Volkswagen reveals its newest Amarok model, company officials have confirmed they are exploring fresh possibilities with Walkinshaw Automotive, the performance engineering specialist that developed the W600.

Drawn from the Style variant of the German marque's dual-cab 4x4 ute, the upcoming Volkswagen Amarok W600 uses a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 that produces 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque, with the main effort directed at refining handling to deliver a more engaging drive.

Now that the refreshed Amarok range includes a Style TSI452 model powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, questions have been raised about pairing Walkinshaw's skills with the TSI452 powertrain.

“I think the answer is never say never,” said Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia brand director, Nathan Johnson.

“We review every prospect available to us, and we carefully considered that engine when developing the W600. We reached what I believe was a straightforward choice based on the evidence, concluding that the V6 offered the strongest option here,” he added.

The 2.3-litre turbo-petrol engine appears in North America's Ford Ranger, the Amarok's related model, and delivers 222kW and 452Nm in the Amarok Style TSI452, while the same unit produces 232kW and 475Nm in the Ford Mustang EcoBoost.

Beyond its appeal among tuning enthusiasts, the turbo-petrol engine is roughly 78kg lighter than the V6, reducing front-end mass and likely sharpening handling response.

“I will not claim we chose incorrectly in any way,” Mr Johnson said of the turbo-diesel V6.

“Yet the partnership with Walkinshaw lets us keep assessing every prospect ahead, which is the real advantage of this collaboration.”