2009 Volkswagen Scirocco Confirmed

Autoweek is reporting that VW will the Scirocco will be arriving as a 2009 model. It is one heck of a sexy car. I'm still not sure what the VW market will be. I suspect that the sucess or failure of the EOS in north america will influence the New Scirocco.

After months of internal struggles and arguments over its design, Volkswagen officials have finally given the low-slung Scirocco coupe the green light. Arguments over the car were heated: On one side were the pfennig-pinchers aiming to save cash; on the other, VW boss Wolfgang Bernhard and his plan to resurrect one of the most evocative models in the company’s history. The score thus far: Car Guys, 1; Bean Counters, 0.

AutoWeek sources suggest prices for a base four-cylinder front-drive edition will start at E22,000, or nearly $28,000 and rise accordingly. The top model will have a 3.6-liter V6 and all-wheel drive.

More an image booster than a volume seller, the Scirocco’s business case calls for sales of no more than 150,000 cars over a six-year life—or just 25,000 per year. Insiders admit that figure is conservative and say it could sell in much higher numbers, particularly if it takes off in the United States.

The new Scirocco is built on the PQ35 platform that is underneath the Golf, with much of the hardware altered to appeal to the ride-and-handling expectations of coupe buyers. The Scirocco gets wider tracks and a MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension with specific settings.

The entry-level model will likely get the just-introduced supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-liter Twincharger four from the Golf GT. It pumps out 140 hp to 170 hp, depending on tuning. Above that, a turbocharged 2.0-liter like that in the GTI can be massaged to deliver in the region of 230 hp, as hinted at on Volkswagen’s Edition 30 concept. A 2.0-liter diesel four will also slide into the engine bay, but that oil burner probably won’t come to the United States.

Volkswagen also plans a Scirocco 4Motion flagship, probably later rather than at the initial launch of the model. Expect it to use the new 3.6-liter 15-degree V6 with 280 hp. Transmission choices will include a standard six-speed manual, with the popular double-clutch DSG unit an option.

Volkswagen will build the Scirocco in Portugal on the same line as the coming Eos. The two cars share a basic mechanical package, and with key suppliers having established satellite operations on site, sources claim the new coupe can be produced more cheaply and with the same quality as in Germany.

Before the car goes into production, Volkswagen intends to streamline processes to ensure profits. Call that a nod to the accountants. If reports in Germany are believed, VW now loses money on every Golf it produces at home. That’s something product boss Bernhard intends to reverse—and soon.