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It was the best of times, it was the wurst of times; years of developing a roo-deterrent device has allowed Volkswagen to begin manufacturing kangaroo sausages Down Under.
Credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Volkswagen has begun offering a limited-edition sausage using ethically-sourced kangaroos.
The Volkswagen Kangawurst – based on a popular curry-flavoured sausage from Germany – will soon be available to buy through the company’s website, made from kangaroos harvested during the company’s development of its ‘RooBadge’.
The RooBadge, announced by the company on 28 March 2024 and reportedly on widely by the automotive media, appears to be a VW badge but is actually a speaker that the company says emits a high-pitched noise designed to ward off kangaroos while driving.
According to Volkswagen, the development of the RooBadge began on the previous-generation Amarok, which stopped production for Australia in 2022. Volkswagen engineers are said to have been working on the product for three years, in collaboration with local universities.
It’s understood failed early versions of the RooBadge did not ward off the iconic Australian marsupials as intended, with engineers instead harvesting and freezing the animals to ensure they didn’t go to waste.
With Volkswagen making its currywurst in Germany since 1973, the company has chosen to offer the kangaroo-based sausage in Australia thanks to its four years of ‘hit and miss’ development into the RooBadge.
The Volkswagen Kangawurst even carries its own unique part number – 199 398 500 K.
“It’s difficult to produce a single sound that will deter all kangaroos, because the species are different to each other,” Melbourne University’s Associate Professor Graeme Coulson said in the Volkswagen media statement.
Credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
“We have worked on sounds that will be meaningful to Eastern Grey Kangaroos, things like dingo calls, alarm calls made by birds and the alarm thumps that kangaroos make to warn each other. We will then be able to tweak the sound for other species.”
With the engineers from the team focusing their efforts on the Eastern Grey, it’s understood most of the currywurst is made up of Red Kangaroos, which were not deterred by the RooBadge.
To ensure none of the animal goes to waste, higher-spec Amarok utes will use kangaroo leather on the door cards and tail leather for the steering wheels.
The Volkswagen Kangawurst will be available on the Volkswagen Australia website from midday today, priced at $19.95 for a pack of six.
This story will be updated with more information from midday.
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