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Give it to us straight: VW exec says Scirocco may be U.S.-bound afterall
It's hardly been a week since we told you that the sexy VW Scirocco wouldn't be coming stateside, and now it seems VW of America vice president Adrian Hallmark may have been premature in his assessment. Now VW spokesman Hans-Gerd Bode is telling us that the big cheese, VW Chairman Martin Winterkorn, will have the final say in this matter.
The folks over at Autoweek seem to think that the 2008 Geneva Motor Show would be the best time for VW to announce whether or not the Scirocco will be coming to the US, but we aren't so sure. It makes sense for VW to unveil the production version of the Scirocco at Geneva, where VW was eerily silent during the 2007 show, but we'll put our money on Volkswagen making that announcement on US soil if the Scirocco is headed here.
We were a little surprised that Hallmark's reasoning for not bringing the Scirocco to the US was because it "might cannibalize GTI sales". VW's current lineup consists of four small cars, a mid-size, and an SUV, what's one more good-looking, fun to drive hatch going to hurt?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
knightuc1992 9:07PM (4/20/2008)
Having done several tours of Germany in the Air Force, I've done more than my share of Autobahn driving, and the overall competance of German drivers is ABOVE and BEYOND that of U.S. (cell phone talking, blackberry manipulating, newspaper reading, latte drinking, IPod playing, food eating) drivers.
I don't blame VWAg for being hesitant on this issue. Half the cars sold here will probably wind up in fender benders or wrapped around a telephone pole due to the proliferation (and exponentially increasing numbers) of inattentive, incompetent drivers...
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vento97 5:46PM (5/09/2008)
I don't blame VWAG for being hesitant on this issue.
They figured out that due to the proliferation (and exponentially increasing numbers) of inattentive, incompetant, cell phone-talking, latte-drinking, blackberry-manipulating, IPod-playing, newspaper-reading, makeup-applying, food-eating U.S. drivers, most of the cars sold here will probably wind up in accidents ranging from fender-benders to being wrapped around a telephone pole...
Cars like these (and the other better German offerings) are best left to competant drivers - like those in Germany (having done a few tours there while in the Air Force, I've experienced this first hand)...
German drivers > U.S. drivers - hands down
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Paul Y 7:55PM (5/02/2007)
I know I've seen it written elsewhere, but it wouldn't kill anyone for this to be the the next GTI.
In fact, it'd be positively badass.
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ZGerman 11:02AM (5/03/2007)
I second that...
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HotRodzNKustoms 8:05PM (5/02/2007)
I agree with #1. The current GTI is too bland for a car you pay that relativly huge premium for over the very bland rabbit.
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GOT 8:50PM (5/02/2007)
How seriously is VWOA taken by VWAG?
No doubt the Scirocco is a great design. I have a hard time believing much from VWOA, though. In my pessimistic opinion, they are as unreliable as the cars.
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kevin 9:06PM (5/02/2007)
Bring it, but fix that bottom-feeder, gaping, silver-lipped mouth.
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Yago Bal 9:37PM (5/02/2007)
Besides, that canibalization would be great for VW: they will make far more money with each Sciroco than with the GTI, apparently, as the Sciroco will be quite more economic to manufacture.
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Matt 6:07AM (5/03/2007)
"2. I agree with #1. The current GTI is too bland for a car you pay that relativly huge premium for over the very bland rabbit."
NO NO NO. Do you know absolutely NOTHING about VWS?
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chris r 10:54PM (5/02/2007)
Bring this to the U.S. The Gti is nice but it is dog ugly, the previous generation body style was way more european looking and this new style is just FRUMPY. VW needs to step it up and bring the Scirroco to the U.S.
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RAMBO 12:33AM (5/03/2007)
VW NEEDS MORE OVER-PRICED, UNDER PERFORMING, UNRELIABLE COMPACT CARS. THIS WOULD FIT RIGHT IN TO THIER LINEUP. IN A COMPARISON TEST IT WOULD SLOT RIGHT BELOW THE MAZDA SPEED3, JUST LIKE THE GTI.
P.S. PORSCHE WILL TEACH VW HOW TO REALLY RIP OFF AND OVER CHARGE ITS CUSTOMERS.
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GhostDoggy 5:51AM (5/03/2007)
Who cares about Canada? :)
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Atomicbri 8:11AM (5/03/2007)
Lord, let's wait and see. It would be stupid for VW to not bring this to the states. Hell they brought the Phaeton here and as good as it was, we ALL knew it wouldn't sell. This however has a viable chance. So what if it takes some of the GTi's sales, manufacture less GTi's. I would definately look into purchasing one of these if they were made available here!! I loved the Corrado and think VW has needed a sports car for sometime, a real coupe type car (cause I know the GTi is sporty, but it is not a sports car)
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Barney 9:06AM (5/03/2007)
8. what about Canada?
I hear Canada may get it first. Canadians are more adept in buying smaller cars.
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bmoredlj 9:15AM (5/03/2007)
Perhaps the product overlap their Phaeton caused is giving them cold feet. They dont want another commercial failure from a highly touted and compitent new product. Nice as the Phaet was, it cost too much and couldn't compete. Nevertheless, I still think they should be resilient and bring on the Scirocco.
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epilonious 11:00AM (5/03/2007)
*yawn* I skipped from my MK IV Golf to a Mazda3 when said Golf started having enough problems to cost more than a car payment every month.
The mazda3 has been cheaper, sportier, and more reliable than the golf/jetta and probably the GTI (yes, the GTI has more power, but it's also very heavy)... I imagine Mazda and several other companies will have redesigned/released their hot hatches by the time VWOA stops dicking around and brings the corrado/scirocco over.... and it will pale in comparison.
But hey, The commercials for it will probably be great!
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ZGerman 11:42AM (5/03/2007)
I was actually second-ing #1's comments about replacing the current GTI with the Scirocco. I have a MKV GTI and would take it over a Mazda3 any day of the week, but I think the Scirocco would be a nice next step for the MKVI.
And yes, I'm sure the commercials will be some of the best on TV...God bless CP+B.
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sirAQUAMAN64 11:41AM (5/03/2007)
Cdn viewpoint...
I bought my previous '01 Golf TDI and '07 GTI because I liked the powerplant(efficiency)/quality/hatch/dynamics/interior design/etc... but mainly also for interior space. I'm tall and it's one of the few cars I fit into (I don't fit into an A3, and Jetta has less headroom than the hatch MkV's).
If the Scirocco comes will less headroom and they don't bring a Golf Plus, they're going to lose me as a customer.
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Dr. Woo 12:02PM (5/03/2007)
"I was actually second-ing #1's comments about replacing the current GTI with the Scirocco. I have a MKV GTI and would take it over a Mazda3 any day of the week, but I think the Scirocco would be a nice next step for the MKVI."
Agreed. If this car comes to the states, I'll be VERY tempted to replace my MKV GTI with a Scirocco.
And epilonious, I'm sure your 3 is cheaper, sportier, and more reliable than a MkIV GTI, but the MkV trounces it in every regard except price. Don't count on the Scirocco being outdated if it arrives, either.
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naggs 10:07PM (5/03/2007)
"And epilonious, I'm sure your 3 is cheaper, sportier, and more reliable than a MkIV GTI, but the MkV trounces it in every regard except price. Don't count on the Scirocco being outdated if it arrives, either."
wth are you talking about? im no 3 fanboy but the MS3 destroys the GTI in price, performance, reliability, practicality and looks.
the siroco would be a little more powerful than the gti and a little lower and sportier and look a little better but cost a lot more. who is going to pay $28k for a siroco when many other cars in direct competition, including the gti, cost thousands less?
sorry, but fwd sportscars are an oxymoron. fwd can only play in the fast version of economy car league.
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