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The Volkswagen Amarok 10 Deserts Edition achieved a strong result Daily Sparkzis the latest Beer O’Clock Hill off-road challenge The Springs 4×4 Park In Queensland he successfully reached the summit with park owner Lucas Bree at the wheel while Daily Sparkz controlled the action from the sidelines.
Beer O’Clock Hill is exactly the kind of climb that separates the truly capable from the merely confident. It’s steep, rutted, uneven and slippery enough to assess drivetrain response, traction control calibration, gear shifting and a small car’s ability to move forward without the whole attempt becoming wheel spin.
On this trip the Amarok seemed unusually calm. Paul pointed out the benefits of the 10 Deserts Edition package – including a factory lift kit and the fat off-road tires fitted for the test – which helped keep it more stable and reduce the underbody stress often seen on this hill.
Controlling the Amarok through the moguls was one of the first highlights. Even when a rear wheel lifted off and the vehicle had to rely on its electronics, it continued to move forward with surprising continuity.
Lucas explained what was happening behind the wheel, noting that they were “completely unloaded” and that the ute would rely on traction control to distribute torque across the axle – and that’s exactly what it did, maintaining momentum without any of the dramatic bursts you’d expect in these conditions.
When it came time to focus on the main climb, Lucas chose a smart setup: four-low engaged, rear differential lock engaged, slippery mode selected and the transmission set to manual mode to better manage gear selection and keep the engine in the right part of its torque band.
It’s a good reminder that getting the best result at Beer O’Clock Hill isn’t just about raw hardware, but also about having the right drive modes and calibrations and then using them correctly.
The Amarok didn’t just run smoothly, but what stood out was how it kept finding traction and making measurable progress.
There were moments when the hill forced a restart and a new line, but each attempt looked controlled rather than chaotic.
From the sidelines, Paul noted that the Amarok didn’t “bash like most of them,” with the ute clearance sections often penalizing side steps and lower-hanging hardware on other crew cabs.
Then, with the Amarok’s traction control and rear differential lock finally finding a cleaner spot, he climbed the final section and reached the top.
Lucas was quick to acknowledge the ute’s tune and the way it delivered its grip, saying: “It’s incredible and it just felt confident too. Kudos from me to Volkswagen.”
On a climb as relentless as Beer O’Clock Hill, that’s about the clearest confirmation you can get: the Amarok didn’t just survive the test – it delivered a first-class result.
MORE: Explore the Volkswagen Amarok showroom
