Volkswagen Scirocco 2014 News

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

Local specs for refreshed Scirocco R confirmed ahead of 2015 arrival.Volkswagen has announced details for Australian versions of the updated Scirocco R sports coupe, before its arrival in local showrooms in the first quarter of next year.First unveiled in February for the European market, the new Scirocco R updates are largely cosmetic, but bring it into line with the styling of the recent Mk7 Golf R. The shape has been tweaked with new lights and bumpers appearing on both the front and back, matte chrome mirrors and the 19 inch 'Cadiz' alloys from the current Golf R.Inside, the instrument panel has been updated with a new look to the dials. There's also a new auxiliary gauge pod above the centre console, housing a chronometer, plus boost and oil temperature gauges.Scirocco R safety has also been improved with the addition of a reversing camera as well as front parking sensors to accompany the existing rears.Like the Golf, the reversing camera is housed within the VW badge on the hatch, which also gains a strong horizontal crease that continues through the new tailights.The reversing camera is displayed on a 6.5 inch multimedia screen, which also now includes satnav and 30Gb of hard drive storage.There are no changes in the engine department though, with the new Scirocco R keeping the same 188kW/330Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine from the previous version and the Mk6 Golf R.Unlike the Golf R, the Scirocco R's drive still comes via the front wheels, and can still be had with either six-speed manual or DSG dual-clutch automatic.Local pricing is yet to be confirmed for the new Scirocco R, but will echo the previous version in being positioned between the Golf GTI's $41,990 starting price and the $51,990 Golf R.VW Australia has hinted that the Scirocco R could drop below its existing $47,990 starting price however, with the lineup consolidated to just four colours and reducing the options list to the leather trim pack and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Tiguan R-Line, new Scirocco R, expanded Golf range, new Polo GTI, revised Jetta and new Passat to help maintain Volkswagen sales growth.  Volkswagen has a range of revised and new models planned to help maintain the brand's current sales strength, despite the overall Australian new car market being down 2.1 per cent so far this year. VW Australia's managing director John White expects these new models to help strong sales of the existing Golf, Polo, Tiguan and Touareg to top the brand's 54,892 unit 2013 result, particularly considering the 32,562 units sold by VW to the end of July already represent a 3.8 percent increase year to date. "Overall this year, we believe that even with a market that's going to be down, we should be ahead of last year," he said.Starting with the revised Polo light hatch that arrives in showrooms this week, a revised version of the strong-selling Tiguan SUV will also touch down in September, strengthening its appeal ahead of an all-new model that is still at least two years away. TIGUAN R-LINEThis will see the Tiguan fitted with a standard reversing camera, rear parking sensors and a colour touchscreen display for the first time, plus the addition of a performance-themed Tiguan R-Line model with a 130kW turbodiesel engine as a new range-topper. GOLF R-LINE WAGONA wagon version of the Golf R-Line will appear in October, based on the success of the sports styled option pack available on existing Highline Golf hatch models.SCIROCCO RThis will be followed in November by the surprise arrival of the refreshed Scirocco R performance coupe, which was widely tipped as a non-starter for Australia after the also slow-selling Up and Eos models were discontinued in April. The revised Scirocco R made its first appearance at the Geneva motor show in March, with styling that has been brought in line with the Mk7 Golf R that arrived here in April.Mr White cited a positive response from the public, media and dealers as a key reason for the model's return to our shores, but it will be accompanied by a new sales strategy."There is going to be significant simplification in terms of colours and option packs, and significant reduction in the expectation of sales, where we are going to focus on making the Scirocco R a low volume, highly desirable vehicle," he said. POLO GTIA revised version of the hot Polo GTI is set to appear at the Paris motor show in September, before arriving down under in the first half of 2015. The GTI will score similar visual and interior upgrades to the regular Polo, but will boost power from 132-141kW and is also tipped to bring a manual transmission for the first time in a Mk5 Polo GTI.JETTAA refreshed Jetta mid-size sedan will also make its way to Australia in the first half of 2015, and John White is expecting the new model to better challenge segment leaders like the Toyota Camry and Mazda6, unlike the current model which has fallen 35 per cent year to date and is currently outsold by the 6 by more than 3:1."We're taking a look at the way that we're going to be configuring the car line, and you can count on the car line having more features and benefits to it, as we look to maximise the opportunities for the Jetta and make it a much better volume competitor," he said.  GOLF ALLTRACKMr White also confirmed the local future of a high-riding all-wheel drive Golf Alltrack wagon near the end of the first half of 2015, with the new model to follow a similar formula to the Alltrack version of the Passat wagon.PASSATRounding out 2015 for Volkswagen will be the all-new Passat that is due to make its public debut at the Paris motor show in September. Mr White confirmed that we will see  the new model late next year, and will be available in sedan, wagon and Alltrack bodystyles.NOT COMINGVW Australia Polo product manager Todd Ford confirmed there are no plans to put a Polo R into production, despite various reports to the contrary and the media being given the chance to drive prototype versions of the Audi S1 mechanical twin earlier this year."We'd love it if we could, but there won't be an R version of the current generation Polo," he said.Mr Ford was also unable to shed any light on the expected Golf R wagon's local future, despite several prototypes being spied testing in recent months."There  has been no model confirmed for production, so I cannot speculate on any Australian future," he said.  He also reiterated that there are no plans to bring the Mk7 version of the hot diesel Golf GTD to Australia, due to a lack of suitable business case.  Upcoming Volkswagen modelsTiguan spec upgrade and R-Line – September 2014Golf Wagon R-Line – October 2014Scirocco R update – November 2014Polo GTI update – first half 2015Jetta update – first half 2015Golf Alltrack – mid-2015Passat redesign – late 2015

VW unveiled the facelifted Scirocco at the recent Geneva motor show with fresh styling and revisions to the engine line-up. But while overseas markets will get a four-cylinder choices of 110kW turbo diesel and turbo petrols ranging from a 92kW 1.4-litre to three tunes of a 2.0-litre turbo: 132kW, 162kW and 206kW, it's likely we won't see all of those here.We only get one Scirocco version here, but the good news is that the one that currently reaches our showrooms is the top-spec ‘R’ variant, carrying the presently 188kW mill that has been uprated to 206kW. That suggests the incoming sports coupe is likely to best the outgoing version's 6-second sprint to 100km/h, while still being more frugal with fuel.Rather than being underpinned by Volkswagen's new MQB platform used for the Golf 7 among others, the Scirocco is based on the Golf 6 platform, with the major changes apart from the engines being cosmetic and instrumentation.The new face sports a GTI-echoing redesigned front bumper and sharper grille flanked by bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lamps, while the interior also gets GTI cues with a new leather-covered flat-bottom steering wheel and instrument binnacle, extra gauges for turbo boost pressure, oil temperature and a timer, plus premium finishes.Volkswagen Australia has confirmed that the new Scirocco is under consideration, but say it's too early to suggest timing for its arrival. However with it rolling into European showrooms in August, you could start looking for it here either in the final quarter of 2014 or early next year.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincottWatch the New VW Scirocco in action on our desktop site. 

Forty years after Volkswagen unveiled the original Scirocco at the Geneva Motor Show in 1974, a new facelifted model will debut at this year’s event. The newcomer introduces refreshed styling, interior fittings and engines for the handsome sports coupe.Still based on the MK6 Golf chassis rather than the new ‘MQB’ platform, the compact Scirocco features a new front bumper that incorporates design language similar to the latest Golf GTI. The new face also receives bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lamps and a more chiseled grille.At the rear you’ll find new LED tail lamps along with a sharper rear bumper and tailgate, but the  signature chunky ‘hips’ remain unchanged. The cabin changes are less obvious. Most notably, there’s a new steering wheel and instrument binnacle taken from the MK7 Golf GTI. Dashboard materials are also new and of a higher quality to those of the current interior, and all facelifted models feature additional gauges for turbocharger boost pressure, oil temperature and stopwatch, sitting atop the dashboard.The only Scirocco model we currently get in Australia is the top-shelf ‘R’ model which is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine developing 188kW of power. However the new version gets a power bump to 205kW and will therefore likely best its predecessor’s 6-second 0-100km/h time. While quicker, the new model is also expected to be more fuel-efficient than before.Volkswagen Australia has indicated that the new Scirocco is on their wishlist, but was unable to confirm potential timing. "This update is under consideration but I don't have any more details," spokesman Kurt McGuiness said. 

After more than two years of hopes and promises, VW Australia tells Carsguide the sleek Scirocco will hit showrooms in 2012. "Finally, it's happening. The Scirocco will be here in 2012," says Anke Koeckler, who took over the top job at VW Australia in July 2009. "It's been my ambition to bring Scirocco to Australia since I arrived, Australians will get their first chance to see the Scirocco in the metal at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne in July. The good news also gets better as Koeckler tells CarsGuide that VW will bring the Scirocco in the faster R spec only. Exact equipment levels and pricing are still being finalised, but  Carsguide understands specification will be similar to that of the Golf R, and the Scirocco could carry a price tag as low as $50,000. Australian fans of VW hot hatches have been crying out for the re-born Scirocco - a badge first seen in the 1970s - since it first launched in Europe in 2009. "We have received a lot of requests for the Scirocco, so it's great to now be able to do it," Koeckler says. She says the challenge has been finding a way to fit it alongside the Golf range, one of VW's core models in Australia. The Scirocco shares its basic mechanical structure with the Golf, but  has unique and more visually aggressive bodywork. It is 67mm lower,  35mm wider and 36mm longer than the Golf three-door, is 67kg lighter  than the all-wheel drive Golf R, and has a sportier suspension tune,  all of which is said to endow it with more performance-oriented  driving characteristics. In Europe, the Scirocco is available with a range of petrol and diesel engines, but VW Australia has only ever been interested in the GTi and R models, which share their 155kW and 199kW 2.0-litre, turbocharged  four-cylinder engines with similarly-badged Golf models. One crucial area of difference is the way the Scirocco R and Golf R  get their power down - the Golf R is all-wheel drive, the Scirocco R  is only front-wheel drive. While the Scirocco R has a green light for Australia, making a case  for the GTi was too hard. "The Golf GTI is a very successful model for us, and it did not make  sense to bring Scirocco GTI into that same space. As it was we had to make changes to the Golf R range to bring Scirocco in," Koeckler says. So Volkswagen is dropping the three-door Golf R model from its Australian range to make room for the three-door Scirocco R. VW is expected to sell the Scirocco R with a choice of six-speed manual and DSG automatic transmissions in Australia. Carsguide is unsure if the Scirocco R's turbocharged, four-cylinder  engine will be detuned from 195kW to 188kW for Australia, as is done  with the Golf R under a Volkswagen program to de-tune some engines for  hot-weather and 'extreme' countries.

The sales peak was previously hit in 1963, when the company sold around 32,000 vehicles - mostly Beetles with some Kombis. Volkswagen Australia's spokesman Karl Gehling says the brand was on target for a tally of close to 40,000 well before the end of the year. "We are going to achieve a record for Australia, as of this month (October) we have overtaken our previous record of around 32,000 with a couple of months to go. "We'll wait and see, I won't put a number on it," he says. While the 2010 number will be looking good for the German brand, the 2011 calendar has nine new or refreshed models turning up in VW dealerships, including the new Amarok light-commercial, the Touareg SUV, Passat sedan and wagon, the updated Eos convertible and the new Jetta. The Golf range will grow to include the frugal BlueMotion model early next year, but the BlueMotion catalogue could be expanded if the company sees demand for the frugal Passat BlueMotion passenger sedan. The model recently set a world record for covering more than 2400km on one tank of fuel, but the Australian arm of the German car maker has no immediate plans for Passat BlueMotion in Australia. What is coming is a new version of the Passat CC – and don't discount another Passat R model. Hanno Greuner, part of technical section of Project Management Team, says the R line is not yet extinct … "there will be something" … and there are highlights in the pipeline. "We have an R for the Golf, Scirocco … and I think the R is a perfect match for Passat." "Increased engine size can sometimes make it difficult to satisfy exhaust emission standards, I think it will be possible to use a smaller and more powerful engine, and more fuel efficient," he says. The evolution of the Golf R, from a V6 to a higher-boost turbo four, points to a smaller-capacity R-Series Passat with higher outputs and better economy and emissions. "I suspect we will get more downsizing in capacity and upsizing in power output," he says. Herr Greuner says the next Passat CC will follow the new family DNA styling sequence. "There is a VW design language and the next CC will speak that same language," he says, refusing to elaborate further.

So when the controversial host announced he had prepared his own spoof ad for the launch of the new Volkswagon Scirocco, the BBC prepared for the worst.

The two-door Golf-based coupe has a dream for VW fans for more than a year but there is still no chance of it happening. "We would love to have it here, but it isn't on our plan. In the short term, at least," Gehling says. The problems for the Scirocco are its price, the likelihood of small sales and a potential clash with the Golf GTi. Volkswagen also believes there is no point to a limited-edition R-Line Scirocco if it is not selling the regular car. "The R Line is very much the halo of each model line, and you expect that to have a flow-on effect. But if you don't have the whole range there is not a huge amount of point to doing it," Gehling says. "We may review it again in the future, but at the moment there is no plan."                

There were a handful of hybrids, and a few fuel cell techno treats, but all the real action was just what you would expect in the style-conscious French capital: fast and flashy.Diesel was very big, and there is a lot more to come for Australia, but the headliners at the show were cars that proved there is life in the automobile for many years yet.Audi finally had its R8 supercar ready for the road and then announced it would be coming out to Sydney for the Australian International Motor Show this month.The Mini was bigger, Volkswagen previewed its born-again Scirocco coupe, and Australia tipped in with the outrageous Chevrolet WTCC Ultra, which points directly to the next Holden Viva hatch.Toyota had a thinly disguised and underwhelming new Corolla that looked like a fluffed-up Yaris, Renault finally got into four-wheel drives with its Koleos and previewed the next baby Twingo. Suzuki showed the car it will make in India.Ferrari pulled crowds with the Pininfarina P4/5 custom supercar, as did Alfa Romeo with its 8c Competizione, which will quickly become a hero car for Italy."Europe is still into premium cars," says Michael Simcoe, the Australian design guru who is now based in Detroit with General Motors."All the brands are looking to move up because that's where you get your profit. People are all about being noticed here, so the fuel price doesn't matter."Simcoe had a solid take on Paris, the last serious overseas international show of 2006."This show is growing. GM's presence here is much better than ever before, with a real effort to understand Europe. And it, like all shows around the world, is seeing a lot more non-European stuff. It says a lot about the way the international market is developing."So, too, is the growing emphasis on diesel hero cars, which are driving the economy end of the business in Europe and will soon be making much more of an impact at the top end.But the Audi R8 and the Alfa 8c, which both looked great and are seen as threats to Ferrari and Porsche, were up in lights with old-fashioned petrol power. The Alfa boasts 313kW and a 0-100km/h time that should be in the sub-five second range. The Audi R8 is much more than just another concept car.It, like the Alfa, is a genuine road runner.It is a full-on two-seater with a 309kW, 4.2-litre engine that also punches out 430Nm of torque. The performance numbers are simple and brutal: top speed of 301km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.6 seconds.There is no news yet on price or delivery dates for Australia, but the R8 should be coming and will stick out in a crowd with its radical body — and the latest use of Audi's confronting frontal treatment.The other production heroes included, surprisingly, the chunky Dodge Nitro and Jeep Commando, which drew plenty of interest to the Americans, the vital new Volvo C30 compact and even the sporty Honda Civic Type R, still only a maybe for Australia.Nissan had the X-Trail based Qashqai that is likely Down Under, but there was no sign of the all-new Smart fortwo, even though Paris is packed with the funky little city runabouts.And then there were the concepts.Ford previewed the adventurous new Mondeo, which should be top of the shopping list for Ford Australia thanks to some of the best design work yet from the blue oval brand. What it does do is point to design elements in the new Falcon, due in 2008.Ford Australia's Sinead McAlary says: "Kinetic design is, if you like, the new global DNA of Ford and elements of it will be evident in the Falcon. That is not to say you are going to see a grille like that on a Falcon but there will be recognisable design language."Citroen was outrageous with its C-Metisse, while Renault tested the water for a rear-drive flagship with its Nepta, while pushing towards showrooms with the Koleos and Twingo, and Peugeot went racy with its 980RC.The Volkswagen Iroc is the template for the return of the Scirocco coupe, and looked brilliant with Kermit-green bodywork. Australians will also see production versions of the Hyundai Arnejs concept, which will be the next Accent, and Kia Cee'd twins — hatch and wagon — before long.Paris also featured lots of Chinese cars. Most looked like early South Korean work, or straight rip-offs of existing models, but demonstrated that the world's fastest growing car brands are looking for international expansion. At least one local importer — Ateco, run by Neville Crichton — took a very close look.