Volkswagen Scirocco retires
The most recent iteration Volkswagen Scirocco has been laid to rest, with the coupe-styled sibling to the popular Golf quietly ending production this week.
Despite still being on sale up to this point, the Scirocco is actually based on the 'PQ35' platform that underpinned the fifth- and sixth-generation Golf, along with the most recent 'A5' Beetle.
The now-defunct three-door was designed to offer a sexier alternative to the Golf, which, for a time, stopped being offered here in three-door form. The latest generation was the third to carry the Scirocco nameplate, and only came Down Under in flagship 'R' form - though other engines and trim grades were offered globally.
First revealed in 2008, the third-gen Scirocco (above) made its debut in the Australian market in 2012. The sole 'R' variant featured the same 188kW/330Nm 2.0-litre turbo as the Mk6 Golf R, though the Scirocco went without all-wheel drive.
Both six-speed manual and six-speed DSG transmissions were available locally, with performance figures rated at 6.2 and 6.0 seconds respectively for the 0-100km/h sprint - around half a second slower than the all-wheel-driven Golf R with the same engine.
A facelifted model arrived Down Under in 2015 (above), bringing a refreshed exterior and interior, along with a $2000 price reduction - though extra equipment like satellite navigation and a rear-view camera was added.
Last year saw the introduction of the Scirocco R Wolfsburg Edition (below), the final version of the badge offered in Australia. The Wolfsburg Edition is limited to just 150 units, and features unique appointments including leather bucket front sports seats, 19-inch 'Lugano' alloy wheels and a numbered build plaque.
Despite being phased out, the Mk3 was the most popular Scirocco ever, clicking over 1 million units in 2013 – more than the first two generations combined. The original was sold in the 1970s, while the second generation was offered during the 1980s and early 1990s.
In Australia, Volkswagen has shifted 118 units in 2017, down from 272 units last year. For the month of September, just four Sciroccos found homes Down Under, which is a quarter of the volume achieved for the same time in 2016 (16 units).
All may not be lost though – there's speculation that the Scirocco badge could be revived as a sporty all-electric hatchback in the coming years. Perhaps the I.D AEROe (teased in a product roadmap above) could carry the nameplate into a fourth generation?
For now, though, we bid farewell to our old friend.
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