Daily Drive Brief: Walkinshaw’s Wild Amarok, Long-Wheelbase iX3, and a Truck Seat You Pump by Hand

Some mornings the car world drops a bunch of odd-shaped gifts at the doorstep: a Walkinshaw-tuned ute with attitude, a stretched electric BMW for back-seat naps, a Mitsubishi done up in blackout trim, and a Toyota truck seat that you literally pump up like it’s 1996 and your name is Reebok. Let’s unwrap.

Big Down Under: Walkinshaw’s Amarok W600 and Fiat’s Scudo Come Out Swinging

2026 Volkswagen Amarok W600: Walkinshaw’s touch where it matters

I’ve driven a few Walkinshaw-breathed machines over the years, and they all share that same trait: they feel sorted where a showroom car usually doesn’t—on lumpy, corrugated backroads and at a brisk clip. The 2026 Volkswagen Amarok W600 is shaping up to be exactly that kind of ute. Factory-blessed, locally tuned, and pitched as the flagship, it’s the Amarok that looks you in the eye at the campsite and says, “your move, Raptor.”

• Expected upgrades: tougher suspension tune, chunky rubber, visual aggression
• Target buyer: dual-purpose owners who tow toys on weekends and commute during the week
• Why it matters: it gives VW a halo ute credibly engineered for Australian conditions

When I’ve hustled current Amaroks on broken surfaces, the chassis always felt game but restrained by OE conservatism. Walkinshaw tends to unlock that last 10 percent—body control, steering bite, and a ride that’s firm yet forgiving. If they nail that here, the W600 will be a hero spec without becoming a caricature.

2026 Fiat Scudo: The van wars heat back up

Fiat’s Scudo is back to take another swing at the Toyota HiAce. The mid-size van segment in Australia is brutally pragmatic—payload, reliability, dealer network, done. The Scudo’s appeal will hinge on sensible specs and a cabin that doesn’t make a long day feel longer.

• Positioning: mid-size workhorse to rival HiAce and co.
• What tradies will care about: payload, door apertures, cabin storage, service intervals
• Early read: if pricing is sharp, the brand’s back-catalog of durable vans does it a favor

I ran a small crew in a van for a week last year during a project move—cupholders you can actually use and a seat that doesn’t punish your sciatic nerve by lunchtime are worth more than chrome badges. Fiat knows this game; now it’s about execution and dealer support.

EVs and Hybrids: Stretched iX3 for Asia, Chery C5 Hybrid for Australia

BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase: Built for the back seat

BMW has teased a long-wheelbase iX3 for Asian markets, and that makes perfect sense. Buyers in China and beyond put real value on rear-seat space, and the LWB formula is proven. I’ve ridden in plenty of LWB sedans in Shanghai traffic—you feel the difference in legroom and serenity immediately.

• What’s different: stretched wheelbase for more rear legroom and likely a plusher ride
• Who it’s for: chauffeurs, families, and anyone who treats the back seat like a mobile office
• Notable question: Will the battery pack/ride tuning change with the stretch? Teaser doesn’t say

Chery C5 Hybrid: Jolion and Kona, meet your new sparring partner

Chery’s adding a hybrid option to the incoming C5 in Australia, aiming squarely at the GWM Haval Jolion and Hyundai Kona hybrids. This is a hot trench right now: buyers want SUV shape, hatchback costs, and diesel-like economy without diesel.

• Shopping cross-list: Jolion Hybrid, Kona Hybrid, Corolla Cross Hybrid
• What I’ll be watching: real-world urban economy and refinement at low speeds
• Dealer feedback so far: hybrids bring in first-time brand switchers—price is king, warranty a close second

Style File: 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Black Edition

We’ve reached the “everything goes black” chapter of SUV fashion, and the Outlander is the latest model to get the treatment. Black wheels, black trim, black badging—the lot. I get it; the look is clean, and the resale uplift on these packages tends to be decent because buyers love the stealth vibe.

• Expect: darkened exterior trim, wheels, and interior accents
• Why it sells: showroom pop without touching the mechanicals
• Minor gripe: dark cabins can hide dirt—until they don’t; keep a microfiber in the door bin

Tech & Toys: Toyota’s Hand-Pumped Seat and Hyundai’s Camper Van You Can’t Have (Yet)

Toyota’s shock-absorbing truck seat needs… a hand pump

Toyota’s isodynamic seat idea for its trucks is clever: isolate the occupant from the worst off-road jitters. The new wrinkle? A manual setup that uses a hand pump. On paper it sounds a bit fiddly, but on rocky trails, being able to tune your seat damping could be the difference between “I’m fine” and “my spine.”

• Good: customizable isolation for rough terrain, potentially less fatigue over long stints
• Quirk: manual adjustment means a learning curve—set it and forget it, ideally
• Use case: corrugated tracks, whooped-out fire roads, long-haul towing over patchy surfaces

When I tried similar concepts in off-road chairs and even mountain-bike saddles, the sweet spot changed with load and terrain. A quick reference chart or preset marks on the pump would be welcome.

Hyundai Staria camper concept: sleep, cook, smile

Hyundai’s Staria camper concept is exactly the kind of van that makes you text your group chat about a spur-of-the-moment Alpine ski weekend. Fold-out bed, space to sleep, even a spot to wash dishes—it’s a tidy micro-home on wheels. The catch: you can’t buy it yet.

• Camper cues: flat-fold sleeping area, integrated kitchenette vibes, clever storage
• Perfect for: coastal dawn patrols, kids’ sport tournaments, or two-week loops of the South Island
• Reality check: concepts often overshoot production practicality—watch this space

Market Pulse: Fewer Super Bowl Car Ads, and Z06 Buyers Catch a Break

Automakers tap out of Super Bowl LX

It looks like most carmakers are sitting out Super Bowl LX. That tracks with what I’ve been hearing: media dollars are being rebalanced toward targeted digital, product launches, and—you guessed it—EV development costs. Big-game ads are brilliant for awareness; they’re not brilliant for efficiency when CFOs have spreadsheets open.

Corvette Z06: the deals are here

Early Z06 buyers paid the markup tax; later buyers may enjoy the clearance aisle. With resale prices cooling, new shoppers are finally getting a clean shot at Chevy’s howling flat-plane V8 weapon without the speculative premium.

• Takeaway for buyers: shop broadly; some stores will deal to move inventory
• Takeaway for owners: the flip game is over—drive and enjoy the car (that’s the point, anyway)
• Macro read: high-rate financing plus normalizing supply equals sanity returning to the showroom

Quick Takes

• The blackout trend isn’t going anywhere—expect more “Black Edition” badges across mainstream SUVs in 2026.
• Asia’s appetite for LWB comfort will shape EV packaging; watch how BMW tunes the iX3 LWB’s ride and range balance.
• Ute arms race continues: Walkinshaw lends street cred where spec sheets alone rarely do.

Conclusion

From Walkinshaw’s W600 giving the Amarok proper pub bragging rights to a long-wheelbase BMW built for back-seat bliss, today’s news leans into local tastes—Australia’s love for tough utes, Asia’s demand for rear comfort, and America’s newfound frugality on ad spend. Sprinkle in a hand-pumped truck throne and a camper van you can’t yet order, and you’ve got the car world in a nutshell: inventive, slightly odd, and never boring.

FAQ

When will the Volkswagen Amarok W600 arrive?

It’s targeted for 2026. Expect more detailed specs and timing as Volkswagen and Walkinshaw get closer to launch.

Is the BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase coming to the U.S. or Europe?

It’s been teased for Asian markets. There’s no confirmation for other regions yet.

What exactly is Toyota’s shock-absorbing seat?

It’s an “isodynamic” seat for off-road trucks designed to reduce occupant jolts, and the latest version requires a manual hand-pump setup to dial in the damping.

Why are there fewer car ads in Super Bowl LX?

Automakers appear to be reallocating budgets toward targeted digital campaigns and product investment, especially around electrification, rather than big one-shot TV spots.

Are Corvette Z06 prices really dropping?

Resale values have cooled from early highs, creating better deals for current buyers compared with the heavy markups seen at launch.