Weak Dollar Means No U.S. VW Scirocco
In news sure to disappoint the stateside fanboys who've waited decades for a replacement to Vee-Dub's Corrado, Wolfsburg announced that the new Portuguese-built Scirocco coupe will not be coming to the U.S. According to Bloomberg (the news agency, not the Mayor of NYC, although he owns the news agency), VW's sales and marketing chief Detlef Wittig told reporters at the Geneva Auto Show that "this car would fit the U.S. market but at the current exchange rate we wouldn't make any money." The currency differential combined with VWs ambitious plans for an American resurgence (1m units per year or… less!) have led the Porsche-controlled company to look at sites for a new American manufacturing plant. (Wittig said VW should be done with its tax break hunt search by June of this year.) No word on whether the Scirocco embargo is part of a scheme to get coupe-loving 20-somethings to buy more savings bonds to prop up the free-falling dollar. But we doubt it.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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I guess we in the United States will just have to wait for the Alfa Romeo Brera in late 2009, from which VW seems to have copied (and not deftly I might add) in the Scirocco's A-Pillar rearward (not to mention the blatantly cribbed-from-Peugeot nose). Besides the Alfa looks sooooooo much better.
BTEFan, I believe that Volkswagen is taking a huge loss on nearly all of the European-made vehicles it sells in the USA right now. Even though VW is taking a loss, selling here is strategically important in the short term to ensure a presence and share of the market, otherwise the planned US comeback will be impossible. Besides being a money-loser, Scirocco probably wouldn't even do that much volume. The "hot-hatch" market is minor, and there is obvious overlap with the GTI
The Eos is a much more interesting car, looks good on the road at least. The Sirocco is a loser. Ask any non car nut in the USA and they'll have a negative reaction to the word Sirocco. If the car was interesting enough to turn that around I'd say bring it over, otherwise don't bother. I'll wait to see if the Audi/KTM Elise wannabe makes it over here. BTW what a burn to Lotus. Does Audi really need to cut into every car makers game? I suppose they need something with high mpg to balance out the lineup, thats just sad imo.