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Design shake-up stalls VWs

The future of three hotly awaited new Volkswagens is hanging in the balance after a management shake-up at the German car giant

VW Tiguan
Originally slated to hit dealers in 2008, Freelander rival the Tiguan may be abandoned...

By Ross Pinnock

12th February 2007

New VW Group boss Martin Winter-korn, who took the helm last month, has put the Passat Coupé, Tiguan SUV and Scirocco on hold. And even the next-generation Golf could be delayed while styling revisions are carried out.
 
The company will now reassess each vehicle before giving the go-ahead for production

The company will now reassess each vehicle before giving the go-ahead for production. And VW has recruited design chief Walter de'Silva from Audi, prompting suggestions of a styling review of all future models.

The move will have an immediate impact on the firm, because the Passat Coupé concept was expected to debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. A production-ready version was set to appear at an expo later this year. The design discussions could also have a big effect on the Tiguan. The striking Land Rover Freelander rival made its first outing as a concept at last year's Los Angeles Motor Show. It was expected to hit dealers in 2008, but is now in limbo while it is reassessed by the fresh regime.

And the hotly anticipated Scirocco sports hatch faces an uncertain future. The three-door was believed to closely resemble the IROC show car, unveiled at the Paris expo last autumn. With a likely price tag of £18,000, the practical model was slated to offer Audi TT thrills at Golf prices.

Finally, the sixth generation of the brand's legendary Golf has also been caught up in the management reshuffle. While its future is not in doubt, the styling of the family car - which has traditionally adopted a conservative, evolutionary approach - is under the microscope. There's no official word yet on what changes might be in store, but any review is likely to delay the eventual launch of all four vehicles.

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VW Tiguan
VW Scirocco

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