Well, it's official, the upcoming Volkswagen Scirocco will not be making an appearance in North American showrooms. VW of America boss Stefan Jacoby told Car and Driver magazine that there's no room for the Scirocco here with the GTI and R32 already headlining the market segment for the automaker. In the same interview, Jacoby stated that what we could see is a return of the Phaeton, but this time with a diesel underhood. That'd give the primo sedan a unique selling point, to be sure, but there's still no evidence to suggest that an oil-burner will suddenly lessen buyers' reluctance to part with big ducats on a VW-branded luxury car.
[Car and Driver via German Car Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Zerk @ Nov 20th 2007 5:23PM
VWoA execs have have been sucking on the diesel exhaust pipe again.
Phaeton! Hell no!
Scirocco? Yeah baby!
Philthy @ Nov 20th 2007 5:25PM
With smart moves like this I see a product planning job at Ford America in Mr Jacoby's future.
Lantern42 @ Nov 20th 2007 5:27PM
Obviously, VW has every intention of continuing to fail in an epic manner within the US market.
The VW brand once known for fun, affordable, reliable cars is so lost, I sometimes doubt it's the same company.
The Scirocco, a relatively affordable, fun car would have been a hit in the US with an efficient engine. Instead we get a luxo-barge that pales in every comparison to the superior A8. Why not let the luxury brand worry about the luxury cars?
Scott @ Nov 20th 2007 7:03PM
+1. When you have people out of touch with the consumer doing product planning, everything is destined to fail.
I've also read that the Passat won't return the next time it gets updated ... the last gen passat was a huge seller in my part of the country! However, something changed and now nobody's buying the current car. Has it gotten more expensive?
Part of the issue is probably inventory too. I went looking to test drive a 4dr GTI and couldn't find a single car in a 150 mile radius. And there were only 6 2drs between the 10 dealers I canvased. So instead I cross shopped the A3, where I had plenty to choose from (didn't end up buying one though).
Poor product planning + poor inventory of models people actually do want to buy = fail.
maxman @ Nov 20th 2007 5:27PM
thank you for ruining my life. Now when i am old enough to drive i have to import my car
Yago Bal @ Nov 20th 2007 5:35PM
That's quite funny, since the GTI and the R32 sell in Europe too, but in Europe it doesn't seem to be a problem...
And the cars are quite different.
Jonathan @ Nov 20th 2007 5:37PM
I don't care, I still would like to see the Scirocco make a return to the US and Canada. Plus, the Phaeton should not return in those markets.
Jonathan @ Nov 20th 2007 5:39PM
A diesel VW luxury sedan in America? No!!
Andre @ Nov 20th 2007 5:44PM
There goes my chance of owning a VW again.. Jacoby must must had a Lobotomy or something that right there was dumb move on his part...
MAOR @ Nov 20th 2007 5:45PM
GTI and R32 sell in Europe and they are getting the Scirocco and somehow that wont be a problem. Also, most of us would gladly give up the overpriced, underpowered, and blandly-styled R32 for a genuinely good looking premium hot hatch.
500 @ Nov 20th 2007 6:16PM
"most of us would gladly give up the overpriced, underpowered, and blandly-styled R32 for a genuinely good looking premium hot hatch."
Unfortunately this seems to be VWoA's thinking, that the Scirocco would simply cannibalize sales of the GTI and R32. Too bad.
Luis @ Nov 20th 2007 5:56PM
Tell you what, Mr. Jacoby, take back your piece of over-priced junk R32 and then we'll have plenty of room for the well-worth-the-effort scirocco. And hey, the scirocco might actually sell more than 5 units in the US!
rv2 @ Nov 20th 2007 5:59PM
Strange decision... I would never go from my WRX to one of VW's cute little Wabbit variations. A VW would never be in the cards for me - unless I get a sex change or they start offering a single interesting car that doesn't look like a little Golf/Wabbit chick car Really diggin' the Iroq - I don't see why the US buyers wouldn't flock to such a cool little machine... Also first VW interior I've seen that wasn't a very generic looking blob of square buttons with little else...
Atomicbri @ Nov 21st 2007 8:23AM
I have to disagree with you on the Golf/Rabbit looking like a chick car... all types drive the car, however I am in full agreeance with you and I digg this car a lot!!! I was a fan of the Corrado back in the day and loved it. It is a shame VW of N.Am. seems to think the tastes of the American market should be limited in products, why don't they look at their rival Toyota and see how many products they offer on their lots in comparison. On a global scale, VW is very close in size to GM and Toyota so why skimp out on the American market?? If other markets can handle buying all the Golf GTi's and R32's together with a Scirocco, why can't the American Market? PURE STUPIDITY ON VW's PART!! I am writing them and telling them of my displeasure.
ChrisMcfall @ Nov 20th 2007 6:05PM
Hang on, the rest of the world gets more faster VW's (Skoda VRS, Seat Cupra and FR) than the US, but VW wont give the US the scirocco?
Borrego @ Nov 20th 2007 6:15PM
Rad! Thanks for failing to deliver the only VW that might've had a chance to capture the attention of a generation that fondly remembers the 'Roc and Corrado!
Surely, our generation will forget how scrappy VWs once were, and automatically afford the Phaeton all kinds of credibility as a luxury sedan.
Oh, wait: it won't.
Bryan @ Nov 20th 2007 11:39PM
They want to be Audi so bad it makes me sick. They have no clue who they are right now, from an outdated VW Beetle to a boring high priced Phaeton. Come on guys lets figure it out!
Atomicbri @ Nov 21st 2007 8:30AM
I agree Bryan.... I love VW's but lately these N.Am. marketing decisions have been strange to say the least. VW has an army of other products available and yet choose not to sell them here. A Diesel Phaeton? You must be kidding me... I love the new diesels coming from Europe, don't get me wrong, however VW has been screwing it up here in the States. Takes them to long to get products to market here, too many weird decisions, and now no "Iroc". I am so disappointed. Loved the Corrado when it was out. Way better than the Eclipse at that time. What is up VWNA? GET WITH IT!! I own a VW and I have stocks in it (they make good money in the German market where I have it invested) Makes me mad really....let me get in and run the show for a month!
YourNameHere @ Nov 20th 2007 6:16PM
i would like to see this slotted UNDER the GTI. give it the 1.4l TwinCharger and make it light. price it int he upper teens and let the money roll in.
Patrik K @ Nov 20th 2007 6:19PM
VW really knows how to do everything wrong in the US.
Ignorance and arrogance.
Although the Phaeton diesel might work, if they market it well.
Still, I think VW do not know how they are perceived in teh US market. While everybody remembers the "Vee Duubb, representing Deutschlandd!!!" TV commercials, they didn't go over well with the VW top brass in Germany.
If you don't know yourself, and if you don't know how your customers see you, good luck, Mr. Jacoby!