2017 VW Scirocco

There have been a number of speculative renderings of the next-generation VW Scirocco, but none of them was really convincing enough.

It’s a different case with this latest attempt from Theophilus Chin, who used as a basis the silhouette of the Audi Sport Quattro Concept, then garnished it with design elements seen on the VW Sport Coupe GTE study.

The result is quite interesting, to say the least. There have been reports that the next-generation VW Scirocco will ditch the shooting brake shape for a proper coupe body style, and Chin’s renderings do take that into account. 

I for one wouldn’t mind at all if the Scirocco replacement looked like this. Even if it changes its name to Corrado, as Chin suggests.

 Renderings via Theophilus Chin

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VW Golf R400 Could Have 420PS

It’s no secret VW wants to build the Golf R400, but new details have now surfaced about the upcoming extra-hot Golf. VW group powertrain chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser has given the first official confirmation that the Golf R400 will be produced and that it will have more than 400 hp.

“We have the Golf more sporty than ever before, since we soon will have the Golf R400 - we will do this car. We are in fact in development of it right now,” Neusser told CAR. 

The VW Golf R400 will be the first production model to debut the high-output 2.0-liter turbo engine seen in theAudi TT Quattro Sport Concept. 

In the study, the engine produced 420PS (414hp), and the Golf R400 may get it as such or slightly detuned. Add the four-wheel drive system in the equation and the Golf R400 (or R420) should become the world’s fastest production hot-hatch.

In terms of design, the Golf R400 will adopt the understated look of the GTI and R, but will feature a revised aerodynamic package with splitters and a new spoiler. It will also feature upgraded brakes to cope with the extra power, but the track will stay the same, allowing it to be assembled on a regular VW production line. 

That’s because the Golf R400 will not be a limited edition model but rather a regular fixture in the Golf lineup. The car is expected to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, with first deliveries scheduled for late 2015 or early 2016. As for pricing, the R400 will reportedly cost under €50,000 (about $54,400) in Germany.

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VW’s C Coupé GTE Could Be Next-Generation of Phaeton

VW has released the first photos and details of the C Coupé GTE, a four-door concept car for the Chinese market which may preview the second-generation Phaeton luxury sedan.

That’s because the study is over five meters (196.8in) in length, the size of current luxury sedans. While the release doesn’t say the C Coupé GTE previews the Phaeton, it describes the study as illustrating “a new design approach for future top saloons at Volkswagen.”

In terms of styling, the C Coupé GTE has an elegant appearance with a long bonnet, low-profile side windows and a horizontal character line. Striking details include the multi-spoke alloy wheels, the grille intertwined with the LED headlights and the big double-exhausts on each side of the rear bumper.

The C Coupé GTE is powered by a plug-in hybrid drive system consisting of a turbocharged four-cylinder TSI petrol engine, an 8-speed automatic gearbox, an electric motor integrated in the gearbox module and a lithium-ion battery integrated at the rear which can be charged while driving or while parked.

The TSI engine 210PS (207hp), while the electric motor has a power output of 91kW (124PS/122hp). The hybrid drive develops a system power of 245PS (242hp) and 500Nm (369lb-ft), allowing the C Coupé GTE to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.6 seconds and to reach a top speed of 232 km/h (144 mph).

The C Coupé GTE has an all-electric driving range of 50 km (31 miles) and can travel on electric power alone at speeds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph). Combined fuel consumption is just 2.3 l/100 km (102.2 mpg US), corresponding to CO2 emissions of just 55 g/km, according to the NEDC standard for plug-in hybrid vehicles. The study has a total driving range of over 800 km (497 miles).

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VW Golf on Top European Car Market

If you're in the market for a brand new car and you live in Europe, odds are, you're just going to make traffic even worse by the end of the year.

But that's a good thing, mostly. It's good for the car manufacturers and it's good for those who are obviously doing better financially, allowing them to afford buying new instead of used.

Compared to the same month last year, new car sales in February 2015 were up 7.8% according to JATO Dynamics and their analysis on new car sales. If we add this up to the rise we've seen in January, it would mean that the market is already ahead by 7.1% compared to 2014.

As of right now, Europe's best selling brands are Volkswagen, Renault and Ford (for the month of February). TheGolf holds a strong lead with sales up 5.8% last month, while the Polo holds down second place ahead of the Renault Clio.

Speaking of Renault, they took 2nd place away from Ford thanks to the Clio being a massive hit - mostly because of its looks. Otherwise there would be no reason why Renault should be outselling Ford in any capacity.

The Fiesta is however the 4th best-selling model in Europe, while the attractive Peugeot 208 is 5th, ahead of the new Opel/Vauxhall Corsa.

The all-new Passat is also looking strong, quite strong when you think about the fact that it's selling at a pace which basically matches what cars from the supermini segment are doing. It's 63.8% rise compared to its predecessor last year makes it the most improved performer among the top 10 models.

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Skoda Posts Record-Breaking Sales for 2014

As it turns out, 2014 has been a huge year for Skoda, as they managed to sell more than 1 million cars for the first time over the course of a year.

Specifically, they sold no fewer than 1,037,200 vehicles (up by 12.7% compared to 2013), while also achieving record financial results, with sales revenue increasing by 13.8% to 11.8 billion euros and operating profit increasing by a massive 56.5% to 817 million euros.

Skoda's CEO, Prof.Dr Winfried Vahland said that "By delivering more than one million vehicles for the first time in a single year, we have sustainably established ourselves as a volume manufacturer on the international markets with our modern model range. It is on this basis that our brand will be perusing our growth strategy."

It's also great news for those who were hoping to see more from Skoda than just a lower-budget alternative to owning a VW.

As for this year, Skoda sales had already risen by 7.9% by the end of last month (when compared to Jan-Feb 2014). And at 163,000 sold over the first two months of the year, its also a new record for the Czech manufacturer.

Even though 2015 will definitely be marked by the arrival of the all-new Superb, Skoda will also be releasing a few other versions of their current model lineup such as the Skoda Octavia RS 230, the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo and other 'Edition' models for Fabia, Rapid, Octavia and Yeti.

Skoda also plans to increase their sales to at least 1.5 million cars within the next few years - which isn't at all far fetched considering the fact that they've already crossed the million mark and they're expanding their production plants both in the Czech Republic as well as across the world.

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VW Sport Coupe Concept GTE

The Sport Coupe GTE from VW isn't just another flight of fantasy, but a car believed to preview the firm's next four-door coupe model in the mid-size category.

From the more snazzy styling to the grander exterior dimensions and the advanced tech, it looks like VW wants to push it above the current CC and closer to other premium sports saloons like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Audi A7 Sportback – albeit not too close in pricing. 

VW itself said that it portrays a styling exercise for a new model to bridge the gap between the Euro Passat and the Phaeton. 

At 4,869mm (191.7 inches) long 1,407mm (55.4 inches) tall and 1,864mm (73.4 inches) wide, the Sport Coupe is longer and wider than the current Passat, while riding on a 50mm longer wheelbase at 2,841 mm (111.9 inches) for improved rear legroom - Note: VW's US press arm mistakenly noted that the wheelbase was 118.9 inches or 3,020mm, something we repeated in our original article on the study.

For power, VW chose a 295hp 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged gasoline engine that operates in combination with two electric motors, one in the gearbox housing and the other at the rear, delivering a system output of 274hp (380PS), good enough for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 5.0 seconds and a 250km/h (155mph) top speed. 

The GTE can run on battery power for 50km (31 miles) and has an overall range of around 1,000km or about 620 miles, returning a combined efficiency of 2l/100km (117.6 mpg US or 141.2 mpg UK).

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