Wolfsburg's half-ton bakkie will enter production in Brazil in early 2027.
Tukan will enter production next year in Brazil. Picture: Noticias Automotivas on X
Volkswagen Group Africa has broken its silence by confirming that interest has been shown in bringing the Tukan half-ton bakkie to South Africa.
Previewed
Only set to enter production next year, the long overdue replacement for the Saveiro made its first showing in May as part of a sponsorship deal Volkswagen has with the Brazilian football team.
Shown at a send-off event ahead of the FIFA World Cup, the apparent production-ready model sported significant layers of camouflage, with little to no details being revealed.
Double and now single cab
What, however, transpired was the first-time availability of a double cab bodystyle never offered on the Saveiro as a means of rivalling the Chevrolet Montana, Fiat Toro, Ford Maverick, Ram Rampage and the incoming Renault Niagara.
Meanwhile, newly uncovered spy images have also confirmed that a single cab will be offered as a rival for equivalent versions of the Fiat Strada.
Posted by the bfmsoficial Instagram page, the single cab was pictured being tested alongside the Strada, with a double cab also present along with a Strada of the same bodystyle.
What to expect up front
Based on reports from Brazil, the Tukan, depending on the market, will have a choice of three engines: a normally aspirated 1.6 petrol engine for workhorse variants, the 1.0 TSI and the mild-hybrid eTSI that combines a 48-volt system with the 1.5 TSI Evo engine.
Transmissions are likely to consist of a five or six-speed manual, and a six-speed Tiptronic, depending on the engine option.
Viewed
Set to ride on the MQB A0 platform that also underpins the Polo and Polo Vivo, the Tukan’s local market chances stem from a confirmed South African presence at the mentioned pre-World Cup unveiling event.
Making the announcement shortly before the five-day Amarok Adventure drive in Durban, Volkswagen executives stated that a delegation had been present in Brazil to see the Tukan’s “reveal” and that it is “looking into” the feasibility of bringing it to South Africa.
Platform sharing
While it stopped short of confirming anything else, the Tukan’s platform sharing with the Polo, Polo Vivo and incoming Tengo has been cited as a key reason for its likely market conclusion.
This, after Volkswagen South Africa Managing Director, Martina Biene, told The Citizen last year, “with the Tengo having been the third product for so long, we also need to look at what is happening next. A [half-ton] bakkie is probably the most viable next.”
“The reason is that it will be based on the MQB A0 platform, and with [the availability] of this platform becoming more limited, it is a very good option”.
At the same time, Biene hinted at the prospect of the bakkie being locally assembled once production of the Tengo, known as the Tera in Brazil, kicks off next year.
Unknown involvement
Soon after the Tera’s reveal, it was confirmed that South Africa had been in-charge of the development process along with Volkswagen do Brasil and Skoda, whose version, the Kylaq, was the first to be revealed in India two years ago.
Less certain, though, is whether South Africa had been part of the Tukan project with the aim of right-hand drive production.
More later
An area or market the Saveiro was never approved for, the Tukan will be assembled at the São José dos Pinhais plant outside Rio de Janeiro early next year, before going on-sale later.
As such, expect more details, and indeed a South African market future, to emerge then.
