This week Volkswagen introduces the Amarok, a sporty, mid-size pickup truck intended for a number of markets around the globe but not the United States.

The Amarok is patterned after the Ford Sport Trac with a four door cab and short cargo box sitting on a full frame chassis. Powered by a 163 horsepower four cylinder diesel, the Amarok is rated to carry 2300 pounds and tow 5600 pounds. Built in Argentina, it will be sold in South America, Australia, Asia, Africa and certain European markets. Volkswagen has no plans to send the Amarok to the United States.

Why not? Why bother.

Dominated by full-size pickups from Ford and GM, foreign competitors have had limited success cracking the American truck market. Volkswagen’s own experience with the Rabbit pickup in the late 1970s and early 80s wasn’t exactly game changing. The company’s plans for world domination of the car market will have to include expanding its presence in the United States and that means moving into new segments here. But it can do that without venturing into the pickup market, a conclusion that it seems to have come to itself.

--M.D.