The Volkswagen Scirocco, unveiled on Tuesday, will not be sold in the U.S. because of the dollar’s weakness when compared to the euro, VW said at the 78th annual Geneva International Auto Show.
VW brass said the car would be a good fit in the U.S. market, but at the current exchange rate, which hit a record low this week, the company wouldn’t make money on the venture.
“The exchange rate is the only reason for not selling it in the US,” said VW’s sales and marketing chief, Detlef Wittig.
Volswagen of America said earlier this year it did not want the Scirocco because it would cannibalize sales of the GTI and R32. But Volkswagen executives in Germany disagreed, and said they would make the final decision rather than VW of America. In the end, it looks like VW of America got its way, but not for the reasons it wanted.
Wittig said the weak currency underscores the need for a U.S.-based VW plant, and suggested the selection process for a suitable plant is underway. The final decision on a plant will be announced before July, but it’s confirmed that Canada will not host the company’s first North American plant.
“It’s an every-day car and it will be priced affordably to attract young customers,” Wittig said of the Scirocco.
With the Scirocco, VW hopes to bring back the same success it enjoyed with the original car, sold between 1974 and 1992. VW was the first manufacturer to offer such a “nostalgia” model with its New Beetle in the late ’90s. The Scirocco will be assembled alongside the VW Eos in Palmela, Portugal.
03/05, 12:05 PM
posted by:
sunshine1810
That’s too bad. This is one of VW’s best looking cars.
03/05, 12:20 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I’m guessing this was going to be a real ‘made in Germany’ VW and not Mexican built. Too bad. They should bring it to Canada and then you guys can bring it across the line in the other direction for a change.
03/05, 12:22 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
People aren’t buying GTIs, why would they buy Sciroccos?
03/05, 12:25 PM
posted by:
F451
This should not surprise anyone.
03/05, 12:49 PM
posted by:
doghis
HA!
03/05, 12:58 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Thanks again Republicans, for keeping the dollar weak.
03/05, 12:59 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
I also think weak currency is not the only reason why the Scirocco is not U.S bound, but this is bull****. Hopefully it’ll get better, but seeing what’s on the horizon, it’s only gonna get worse.
03/05, 1:01 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
I wouldn’t blame it all on Republicans either, Madcapp, but they’ve gone downhill from there.
03/05, 1:24 PM
posted by:
SS4LIFE
lol johhnnycanuck, yeah it’d be good if our brothers and sisters to the North at least got this. But yeah I can only imagine after the exchange rate, how much it would cost a U.S resident to have this (30k plus?) No thanks, I’ll take an R32 instead, where we can get that here. Although because U.S and Canada have the free trade agreement I did look up and to import a car from Canada to the U.S isn’t actually that bad. (The duty is either non-existent on some cars and on others it’s a small percentage of the total cost)
03/05, 2:13 PM
posted by:
archknight
Not that this was a surprise to any of us here, but here’s to hoping the next A3 is just an extended version of the Scirocco with an Audi face & rear, instead of a bloated GTI twin.
03/05, 2:38 PM
posted by:
A4
WHAT THE HELL I WAS GONNA GET ONE TOO GAH
03/05, 3:12 PM
posted by:
SwerveEarly
VW has Mexico plants, last I checked Mexico was still in Norte Americana
03/05, 3:17 PM
posted by:
A4
ya but nobody listens to you **** monger
03/05, 3:40 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
No loss. It’s nice looking but that’s all it is.
03/05, 3:44 PM
posted by:
jumpoffit
don’t forget his new one, “condom eaters”
03/05, 4:46 PM
posted by:
5ohstang
who ever said the republicans are to blame for the weak dollar should take a economics class. btw the congress controls how we spend money, which is controlled by the democrats. as for the Scirocco, i hope they make it in canada
03/05, 4:53 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
Mexico is considered Central America, no?
03/05, 5:54 PM
posted by:
RicardoHead
With a Solstice Coupe coming out, who needs this POS?
03/05, 5:59 PM
posted by:
audi-lover
that’s kind of sick that you would bet your nuts on anything
03/05, 8:47 PM
posted by:
autonut
Mexico is North America, based on the map.
The logic of VW is troubling: Scirroco is not profitable to sell in US, but Passat is. I think it wouldn’t matter to Phaeton it wasn’t sold anyway.
Obama should be proud of his constituency and representation on this forum.
03/05, 10:09 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
I don’t see how the weak dollar cuts into VW’s overall strategy. Just jack up the prices to luxury car levels like they’ve always done with their pseudo-econoboxes. Witness the GTi going for $40,000 fully loaded in Canada. ****bags.
03/05, 11:51 PM
posted by:
inline6
Uh, Mexico is in North America.
And VW used to have a plant in New Stanton, PA…which, last I checked, was also in North America.
LLN needs to get its facts straight.
As for the lack of our getting a Scirocco, it’s a shame that exchange rates are the only thing keeping the car from us. It looks nice.
Oh, and blame the Fed for the weak dollar, man. Though the neo-cons have sure done their part to kill it, too.
03/06, 4:51 AM
posted by:
peter g
Thought LNN was all about the love of cars and so, and NOT about swearing, showing off and displaying a variety of minority complexes, homofobia and what have you. Still, I might be wrong?
03/06, 8:27 AM
posted by:
car-dude44
Hopefully they could come to sell this in canada….I’d buy it.
03/06, 8:38 AM
posted by:
peter g
Thanx DeansterTJ, I stand corrected…Like the car. though…
03/06, 5:10 PM
posted by:
Get Real
I’m thankful this is just talk with no pictures of you guys.