ROCK IT HARD

THIS TOUGH, CLEVERLY CUSTOMISED AMAROK IS BUILT FOR PURPOSE. THAT PURPOSE IS TO GET ITS OWNERS OUT AND EXPLORING ANY AND ALL REMOTE LOCATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

- JUSTIN WALKER

SO HOW does someone step out of a rorty Subaru WRX, leave all that grunt behind and, after an extensive, well-thought-out, perfectly finished build, end up behind the wheel of one of Australia’s toughest Volkswagen Amaroks? Well, ain’t that just the story. Jumping from a souped-up Suby into a virtually unstoppable off-road tourer seems like a big turn-around, but, as you might suspect, there’s a lot more to this rugged Amarok’s gestation than just someone having a massive change of direction when it comes to their driving habits.

This isn’t Nathan Pagulayan’s first fourby. Prior to this fully loaded Amarok, Nathan spent a few years behind the wheel of a 4x4 icon: a 1993 Suzuki Vitara. Plus, childhood memories of his father’s many off-road vehicles – and the many adventures the Pagulayan family had in them, growing up in the Albury-Wodonga area – meant that even though the WRX was brilliant fun, Nathan knew he’d eventually return to the world of touring.

The WRX suffering a terminal turbo and engine failure at a race meet was the not-so-subtle push in the back – and the perfect excuse – Nathan needed to start thinking of his off-road project…

ALL THE REASONS WHY

COMING from a grunt-filled Suby, Nathan had a few caveats when searching for a suitable vehicle.

“I couldn’t live with a slow 4x4, so the new rig had to be modern and relatively powerful,” he says. “I just test drove everything, and it was the V6 Amarok that was vastly different to the others.”