“The Volkswagen Amarok rocks”: Scorpions are already fans of the pickup “The Volkswagen Amarok rocks”: Scorpions are already fans of the pickup

Rockstars Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine are enthusastic about the new Volkswagen Amarok

HANOVER : December 16, 2009 - It is already starting to show that the Volkswagen Amarok will also enjoy popularity as a lifestyle product: the internationally successful hard rock band “The Scorpions” from Hanover are the first celebrity fans of the robust vehicle and declare that “the Volkswagen Amarok rocks.” After the musicians had experienced the car first hand, the band’s founder and lead guitarist Rudolf Schenker spontaneously resolved to test the pickup himself on the demanding course at the Dakar Rally in January 2010.

Rudolf Schenker to test new vehicle at the Dakar Rally

At the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles plant, Rudolf Schenker and Scorpions singer Klaus Meine were the first celebrities to be given a sneak preview of the brand-new pickup. They were immediately impressed with the new product.

“The Amarok is super stylish and a real eye-catcher, you just want to climb in and whizz off, it’s a beast of a vehicle,” says Rudolf Schenker.
“For me, a pickup like this stands for adventure, freedom and fun,” the rock musician explains.
And Klaus Meine adds: “I’d travel everywhere in this car, it’s just cool, not flashy or over-the-top, but something for real men.”

The close ties between the Scorpions and Volkswagen go back a long way: following the band’s formation in 1965, a Volkswagen Bus was their first band vehicle.
Rudolf Schenker, who has just published his book “Rock Your Life”, was fired with enthusiasm when he learned that the Volkswagen Amarok was to be the official organisation vehicle at the Dakar Rally. He made a spontaneous offer to Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, to test the pickup during the rest day at the Rally.
Explaining his motivation, the artist said: “This is exactly what my new book is about: seeing life as an adventure, taking on every new challenge and having fun in the process.”
Stephan Schaller was pleased to have so much interest in the vehicle and immediately accepted the offer.
“A band from Hanover that has conquered the whole world – it fits perfectly with the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Brand, and if rock musicians are the first people to become fans of our Amarok, that surely speaks volumes for the vehicle and its design.”

So on Saturday, 9th January 2010, Rudolf Schenker will be in Antofagasta, Chile, to put the Volkswagen Amarok through its paces during the Dakar Rally.
As Official Supplier to the Dakar Rally, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is providing the sports event with a total of 35 vehicles.

Scorpions have produced 22 studio albums in the last 40 years, selling 80 million records and racking up around 100 gold and platinum discs. They number amongst the most globally successful German groups of all time. Their hit “Wind of Change” topped the charts in 11 countries at the beginning of the 1990s. Their world tours have taken them to more than 80 countries to date. Scorpions have a particularly strong fan base in South America, Asia and Eastern Europe, where they fill the big stadiums. At the beginning of this year, they received an “Echo” award for lifetime achievement. Jon Bon Jovi , Metallica and many others once appeared as a support act for the Hanoverian rockers.

Images : 2010 Volkswagen Amarok

[Source : VOLKSWAGEN]