The ‘kerb appeal’ of Volkswagen’s exhilarating Scirocco sports coupé has never been in doubt: the distinctive silhouette and wide, low stance of this third generation model – revealed just last year – continue to turn heads.

Now Volkswagen is boosting the Scirocco’s desirability yet further with the UK launch of two special edition versions – both available to order in dealers now – that add not only extra style but also enhance the four-seat coupé’s already-strong value proposition.

The debut of two new Scirocco Black Edition models: the Scirocco GT Black Edition and Scirocco R-Line Black Edition, sees the addition as standard of black painted alloy wheels, a black painted contrast roof, door mirrors and rear spoiler, and 90% tinted rear windows. Together, they significantly enrich the visual appeal of this already dynamic-looking coupé.

The Scirocco GT Black Edition boasts 18-inch Black Lisbon alloy wheels, while the R-Line Black Edition benefits from arch-filling 19-inch Black Lugano alloy wheels. Priced from £23,135 (RRP OTR) for the GT Scirocco Black Edition 1.4-litre TSI BlueMotion Technology – a premium of £550 over the equivalent GT and R-Line trims – the new models offer great value for money, too. As an example, the 18-inch Lisbon alloy wheels alone would otherwise be a £610 option on the GT trim, while the cars’ 90% tinted windows are a £70 option.

The third generation Scirocco made its global public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014 – 40 years after the original debuted – and comes with a range of advanced engines that offer up to 280 PS yet also promise both impressive performance and fuel efficiency.

Styling highlights include eye-catching headlight and LED tail light designs, a front bumper featuring aerodynamic ‘blades’ in the outer section and, inside, a dashboard containing an auxiliary instrument cluster above the centre console consisting of chronometer, charge pressure and oil temperature gauges.

Under the Scirocco’s purposeful bonnet lies one of six turbocharged direct-injection petrol or diesel engines, all of which meet EU6 emissions standards and return between 67.3 and 35.3 mpg.  Every model in the range except the R feature BlueMotion Technology additions, meaning they come as standard with Stop/Start and brake energy recuperation systems.

In new GT Black Edition and R-Line Black Edition guise the petrol range comprises a 1.4-litre 125 PS or a 2.0-litre 180 PS unit while two diesel engines, both 2.0-litre, offer either 150 PS or 184 PS.  The 1.4-litre TSI comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, while all other engines are fitted with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or the option of a six-speed DSG gearbox.

Performance over the 0-62 mph sprint ranges from 9.3 seconds to 5.5 seconds, depending on engine and transmission choice, while top speeds, where legal, range from 126 mph to 155 mph (limited).

Standard equipment across the entire Scirocco range includes the Composition Media system with 6.5-inch colour touch-screen, Bluetooth telephone and audio connection, DAB digital radio receiver, MDI (Multi Device Interface) via USB connection, SD card reader and single CD player along with air conditioning; automatic headlights and wipers; an auto-dimming rear view mirror; height-adjustable sports seats and a multifunction leather-covered steering wheel (with paddleshifts on DSG models).

The Scirocco GT features, in addition to the Composition Media system, Discover Navigation offering branded points of interest, dynamic navigation based on TMC+, preloaded European navigation data and Fast, Short and Eco route options as well as 2Zone climate control; dark-tinted rear windows; front fog lights; front and rear parking sensors; a black roof lining; ‘chequered flag’ dash inserts and aluminium-look pedals and cloth and part Alcantara-trimmed upholstery.

The R-Line model comes with R-Line-specific bumpers and side skirts; R-Line scuff plates; an R-Line-specific steering wheel, handbrake and gear lever; ‘carbon-look’ dash inserts; and heated, electrically adjustable ‘Vienna’ leather sports seats.

Top-of-the-range Scirocco R models add a host of sporting and luxury features including Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC); Unique ‘R’ sports suspension lowered by around 10 mm; Bi-xenon headlights with dynamic curve lighting, automatic range adjustment, static cornering function and headlight washers; black brake calipers with ‘R’ logo; LED daytime running lights set into the front bumper (in lieu of front fog lights); a bespoke ‘R’ styling pack; Gloss Black decorative interior trim inserts; leather trimmed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel Vienna leather upholstery and front sports seats with embossed ‘R’ logo.

Volkswagen Scirocco GT Black Edition and R-Line Black Edition models are available to order now, with first registrations due in January 2016. For more details visit: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Wolfsburg (15 November 2015). 26 podiums from 13 rallies, including twelve wins – the 2015 season will go down in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) history books asVolkswagen’s most successful to date. Three-time world champions* Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) claimed their eighth win of the season with the World Rally Car from Wolfsburg. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene finished third to round off a positive end to the season. This was their ninth podium of the year – only Ogier/Ingrassia rackedup more. The closing Power Stage went to Jari-Matti Latvala /Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) in the third Polo R WRC, who came away from an otherwise difficult rally with three bonus points – enough to secure second place in the World Championship. In extremely tricky conditions in the Welshforests, and whatproved to be a real mud bath, 15 of a possible 19 stage wins went to Volkswagen. This took the total to 504 of 717 stages since the 2013 season.

Mud marathon in gale-force winds: extreme challenges in Wales

The Rally Great Britain formed an extremely challenging end to the WRC season: gale-force winds, torrential rain and the typical, ubiquitous Welsh mud awaited the drivers on the 19 special stages. The 309.87 kilometres against the clock really put the world’s best rally drivers through their paces. The ever-changing grip levels meant the crews had to be on the ball at all times – despite marathon days with special stages from the daybreak into the night. The Rally Great Britain in North Wales also posed a challenge for the Volkswagen mechanics: Storm Abigail tore through the service park in Deeside, making life difficult for the Volkswagen technicians, particularly during the flexi service on Saturday evening.

The bottom line: the Polo R WRC’s impressive record

400 and 500 – Volkswagen celebrated reaching yet more milestones at the Rally Great Britain. With 34 of a possible 39 victories, the Polo R WRC remains the car with the highest win ratio in the history of the World Rally Championship. The 318-hp World Rally Car from Wolfsburg also racked up stage win number 500 in Wales. After three full seasons, Volkswagen has now won 504 of the 717 special stages since the Polo R WRC made its debut at the 2013 Rally Monte Carlo. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia also passed a personal milestone: victory in Wales was the 32nd of their careers, the 25th in Volkswagen colours, and also yielded stage win number 400.

Podium regulars: Ogier and Mikkelsen

Podium finish number ten for Sébastien Ogier, and number nine for Andreas Mikkelsen: the two drivers, who ended the 2015 season with the most top-three results, once again flew the flag for Volkswagen on the podium in Wales. Volkswagen duos have cracked open the Champagne on the rostrum on 26 occasions this year – a new personal best for the team. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia now have 45 podium finishes to their name, 31 of which have come with Volkswagen. Incidentally: during their three World Championship-winning years – 2013, 2014 and 2015 – they have not recorded a single third place. Andreas Mikkelsen has finished on the podium 14 times in the 25 rallies since last year’s Rally Sweden, including 13 times with Ola Fløene. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila have contributed eight podiums, including three wins, to Volkswagen’s impressive record.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Volkswagen has achieved outright victory in the prestigious Green Apple Awards for one of its most highly praised new models – the Volkswagen Golf GTE.

The Green Apple automotive awards – now in their fifth year – are bestowed by The Green Organisation, a not-for-profit group which invites entries from across the industry. As has become the custom, the awards were this year once again presented at the Houses of Parliament in London.

The innovative Volkswagen Golf GTE triumphed in its class – ‘electric hybrids or pure electric vehicles’ – as well as taking the overall title of Green Apple Champion 2015 in the influential awards, voted for by automotive experts from the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

The Golf GTE is powered by a combination of petrol engine and electric motor. Capable of returning up to 166 mpg, and with CO2emissions measured at just 39 g/km, the innovative plug-in hybrid model has already scooped a series of prominent automotive industry awards including the Green category in the annual BusinessCar Fleet Technology Awards.

Priced from £33,755 (OTR RRP), excluding Government Plug-In Car Grant, it offers up to 204 PS for genuinely spirited performance, merging GTI dynamics with e-Golf electric credentials. At the touch of the ‘GTE’ button, the electric motor and 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine combine to deliver a 0-62 mph time of 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 138mph, where the law permits. Maximum torque of 350 Nm is available from just 1,600 rpm and, when fully charged in all-electric mode, the Golf GTE has an electric range of up to 31 miles**. When electric and petrol combine, the total range is 580 miles**.

One Midland Group judge said of the winning Golf GTE: “It’s engineered like a Volkswagen, feeling solid and safe, while the hybrid system returns some superb figures when driven like a hybrid should be. For those days where there’s an empty country road it turns into a proper GTI, handling the extra weight with aplomb and proving you don’t need to make many compromises to produce a viable green choice.”

Welcoming the success of the Golf GTE in the 2015 Green Apple Awards Alex Smith, Director of Volkswagen UK, said: “The Golf GTE is a clear winner, with an unbeatable mix of spirited GTI-style performance and exceptional economy. The car showcases Volkswagen’s progress in the area of plug-in hybrid technology and stands as a real testament to the engineering strength and driving appeal of our cars.”

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Volkswagen is sharpening the appeal of the already generously equipped Golf with the announcement of the highly specified Golf Match BlueMotion Edition, and Golf Match Edition, priced from £19,840 (OTR RRP).

Building on the stylish looks and renowned reliability of the current Golf line-up – the seventh iteration of the brand’s iconic family hatchback – the new Golf Match Edition models add high-end equipment as standard including Discover Navigation with Car-Net Guide and Inform, and Winter Pack.

The new cars arrive with an even higher level of specification than the Golf Match they replace. The additions offer more than £1,100 in customer value if specified separately, but at a cost of just £100.

Buyers can, therefore, get behind the wheel of the new Golf Match BlueMotion Edition 1.0 115PS TSI six-speed manual three-door from £19,840 (OTR RRP). The Golf Match Edition, meanwhile, is available from £20,400 (OTR RRP) in 1.4-litre TSI 125 PS BlueMotion Technology five-speed manual three-door model form.

While the Golf Match was already one of the most comprehensively specified vehicles in its class with standard features including front and rear parking sensors, front fog lights and a mirror pack – which consists of automatically-folding door mirrors with puddle lights and reverse-activated dipping on the nearside – the new model builds on that solid foundation still further.

Smart 16-inch ‘Dover’ alloys continue to distinguish the new car, while the Discover Navigation system now fitted as standard includes a 6.5-inch colour touch-screen control system for navigation, CD and radio functions. This boasts preloaded European navigation data, two map view options, three calculated routes (Fast, Short, Eco), dynamic navigation based on TMC live traffic updates, branded points of interest and Traffic Sign display, and also features Car-Net Guide and Inform online services.

The Car-Net Guide and Inform system neatly combines engaging functions such as Online Traffic Information, Personal Point Of Interest, News and Weather updates, and Fuel Info and Parking Info.

This suite of hi-tech features comes in addition to the Golf Match Edition’s standard ACC Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Assist and City Emergency Braking, Driver Alert System, PreCrash preventive occupant protection, Driver Profile Selection, automatic wipers, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror and dusk sensor (automatic driving lights); and of course the aforementioned alloy wheels, parking sensors, front fog lights and mirror pack.

Meanwhile all Golf models come as standard with seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag; ABS with ESC, XDS electronic differential lock; an automatic post-collision braking system and Isofix preparation for two rear child seats. Bluetooth telephone preparation, audio streaming and an eight-speaker multimedia entertainment system are also standard on the new Golf Match Edition, along with air conditioning, a Stop/Start system with battery regeneration, and a host of other features.

Customers are able to add to that impressive roster of standard equipment with hi-tech options include High Beam Assist, Park Assist, DCC Dynamic Chassis Control, a rear-view camera, keyless entry and a panoramic sunroof.

The Golf Match BlueMotion Edition is offered with a 1.0-litre TSI 115 PS engine in six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG form, both returning 65.7 mpg combined.

The Golf Match Edition is available with a 1.4-litre TSI 125 PS engine with six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearboxes returning 54.3 to 56.5 mpg combined; a 1.6-litre TDI 110 PS BlueMotion Technology engine with five-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearbox returning 72.4 to 74.3 mpg; or a 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS BlueMotion Technology unit with six-speed manual or six-speed DSG gearbox returning 62.8 to 68.9 mpg. All engines meet the latest EU6 emissions standards.

This high value addition to the Golf range is available to order now, with the first deliveries expected in January 2016.  For more information on the new model, and the rest of the award-winning Volkswagen range, visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk