Volkswagen gets sporty

Volkswagen Group Australia has confirmed it will release the facelifted Scirocco here after all -- and it will be one of just three new model releases from the German brand later this year, with four major new models to follow in 2015.

VGA chief John White said in April, when he announced the axing of the up! micro-car and Eos drop-top, that the local future of the facelifted Scirocco was undecided in Australia due to slow sales.

But now he has confirmed the facelifted Scirocco sports car will indeed be imported from November, following an outcry from dealers and fans.

"We indicated two vehicles were exiting out market – up! and Eos – and we were considering what to do with Scirocco," he said at the launch of the facelifted Polo this evening.

"Following feedback from media, dealers and social media, we have decided to keep Scirocco R."

White said that despite the ongoing simplification of Volkswagen's model range, as evidenced by the latest Golf and Polo, there was a room for the Scirocco alongside sports models like the Polo GTI and Golf GTI, Golf GTI Performance and Golf R.

He indicated the facelifted Scirocco, which was revealed with cosmetic enhancements at the Geneva motor show in March, will be offered with a slimmer range of paint colours and options.

"The focus will be on making it a low-volume, highly desirable vehicle."

To that end, mainstream versions of the Scirocco will remain unavailable, and Australia's sole model, the Scirocco R, will continue to be powered by a low-output 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder producing 188kW – down from 206kW in the Golf R and Europe's Scirocco R.

In Europe, the two-door Golf-based Scirocco coupe is available with six other engines, ranging from a 90kW 1.4 TSI to a 162kW 2.0 TDI.

It's unclear if pricing will increase. The previous model cost $47,490 (manual) and $50,990 (DSG), plus on-road costs – making it $4500 cheaper than the Golf R five-door ($51,990 manual; $54,490 DSG).

Volkswagen will confirm details within two weeks – the same time it announces a sporty R-Line styling package for its Tiguan, as part of an upgrade for the compact SUV that is still two years away from replacement.

White said the upgraded Tuguan will bring a reversing camera (previously only available on the top-shelf 155TSI model), rear parking sensors and a colour touch-screen as standard from September.

Also part of the MY2015 update will be a 130kW TDI diesel engine to replace the Tiguan's existing 103kW oiler, delivering class-leading performance.

Volkswagen has not revealed whether the R-Line will be part of the Tiguan range, or available as a package as with the Golf and Beetle. Either way, expect it to be offered only with the 155TSI Tiguan flagship.

The Tiguan's R-Line package should comprise larger 19-inch alloys, sportier bumpers and side skirts, an R-Line grille, sports seats with two-tone trim, leather-clad steering wheel with R-Line badging and stainless steel pedals.

White said an R-Line version of the Golf Wagon would follow a month later following the success of the R-Line Golf hatch.

The Golf R-Line treatment includes sportier bumpers, side skirts, 18-inch alloys, an R-Line grille, roof spoiler, fog lights and rear diffuser.

Inside, there's a sportier steering wheel and seats, plus stainless steel pedals, door sill protectors, piano-black highlights, black headlining and tinted rear glass. The Golf R-Line can also be had with 15mm-lower sports suspension.

White said these new models, and the facelifted Polo released this week, will continue Volkswagen's sales momentum, which currently sees it up 3.8 per cent to July this year.

This is thanks to increased sales of its volume-selling Golf, Polo, Tiguan and Touareg, and despite reduced sales of the Beetle, Jetta, Passat and CC, and the Caddy, Transporter and Crafter commercials.

"Overall this year we'll be ahead, even if the market is down," said White.

So far this year Golf sales are up almost 45 per cent in a mainstream small-car segment that's down 3.8 per cent, thanks in part to a simplified new model range that opens at $21,490.

But White warned that sales will decline this month due to short supplies of both VW's top-seller and the facelifted Polo.

"One of the things you're going to see us doing is go backwards in August," he said. "We're inventory restrained on Golf and getting ready to launch the new Polo, and you won't see the full effect of that until September."

The new model action from Volkswagen will roll on throughout next year, when it releases the facelifted Polo GTI and facelifted Jetta in the first half of 2015, followed in the second half by the all-new Golf Alltrack wagon and eighth-generation Passat.

What's coming from Volkswagen:

Tiguan upgrade, R-Line – September
Golf Wagon R-Line -- October
Scirocco R facelift – November
Polo GTI facelift – First half 2015
Jetta facelift – First half 2015
Golf Alltrack – Mid-2015
Passat redesign – Late 2015