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The Volkswagen Amarok 10 Deserts Edition has banked a strong result in CarExpert’s latest Beer O’Clock Hill off-road challenge at The Springs 4×4 Park in Queensland, successfully reaching the summit with park owner Lucas Bree at the wheel, while Paul Maric called the action from the sidelines.
Beer O’Clock Hill is exactly the sort of climb that sorts the genuinely capable from the merely confident. It’s steep, rutted, uneven, and slippery enough to assess drivetrain response, traction control calibration, gearing, and how well a ute can keep forward progress without turning the whole attempt into a wheelspin-fest.
In this run, the Amarok looked unusually composed. Paul pointed out the benefits of the 10 Deserts Edition package – including a factory lift and the chunky all-terrain tyres fitted for the test – which helped it stay more settled and reduce the amount of underbody punishment you often see on this hill.
The Amarok’s control through the moguls was one of the early highlights. Even when a rear wheel lifted and the vehicle had to lean on its electronics, it continued to inch forward with surprising consistency.
Lucas explained what was happening from behind the wheel, noting they were “fully unloaded” and that the ute would be relying on traction control to shuffle torque across the axle – and it did exactly that, maintaining momentum without the dramatic flare-ups you might expect in those conditions.
When it came time to commit to the main climb, Lucas dialled in a smart setup: four-low engaged, rear diff lock on, Slippery mode selected, and the transmission placed in 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 the best result on Beer O’Clock Hill isn’t just about raw hardware – it’s also about having the right drive modes and calibrations, and then using them properly.
The Amarok didn’t simply walk it, but what stood out was how it kept finding traction and making measurable progress.
There were moments when the hill forced a reset and a new line, yet each attempt looked controlled rather than chaotic.
From the sidelines, Paul noted the Amarok wasn’t “bashing like most of these were”, with the ute clearing sections that often punish side steps and lower-hanging hardware on other dual-cabs.
Then, as the Amarok’s traction control and rear diff lock finally found a cleaner patch of bite, it climbed the final section and crested the top.
Lucas was quick to credit the ute’s tune and the way it deployed its grip, saying: “It’s incredible, and it just felt confident as well. Big tick from me for Volkswagen.”
On a climb as unforgiving as Beer O’Clock Hill, that’s about the clearest endorsement you can get: the Amarok didn’t just survive the test – it delivered a top-class result.