VW confirms Scirocco R for Oz

VOLKSWAGEN has confirmed the Scirocco R still has a future in Australia.

The company had considered ditching the seductively styled hatch due to dwindling sales and to simplify its range, but this morning revealed that the facelifted Scirocco R will be available for purchase from November – albeit with some changes.

“There are going to be some enhancements in the product line-up, a significant simplification in terms of colours and options packs and a significant reduction in the expectation of sales,” VW Australia managing director John White said.

“We’re going to focus on making the car a low-volume, highly desirable vehicle.”

First revealed at the 2014 Geneva motor show, the facelifted Scirocco R carries over the current car’s 188kW/330Nm 2.0-litre turbo four.

No word yet on pricing, but the Scirocco’s new premium positioning could result in an increase to the current car’s $47,990 starting price.

VW resurrected the Scirocco nameplate in 2008 after a 16-year hiatus.

Earlier generations of the Scirocco were coupes, while the current generation uses a sports hatchback design, built only in three-door configuration on the superseded PQ35 platform common to Golf Mk5 and Mk6.

Scirocco sales have slumped more than 50 percent since this time last year following the release of the Golf Mk7.

VW has stiff competition within its own ranks from the DSG-only Golf R, which offers an extra 18kW/50Nm and current-gen MQB architecture at a starting price of $54,490, only $4000 more than the current DSG-equipped Scirocco R.