VW farewells Beetle, Scirocco

Just as it said it would in March, Volkswagen Group Australia will discontinue both the Beetle and Scirocco by the end of this year.

Before both two-door specialty models disappear from Australian showrooms, however, the German brand will release special-edition versions of both models, starting with the Beetle Classic Final Edition in September.

Limited to just 53 individually numbered examples – to mark Volkswagen's arrival in Australia with the original Beetle in 1953 – the final Beetle to be sold here will cost $36,990 plus on-road costs.

It will be available only in white with a black roof and a red chequered interior cloth interior trim, featuring retro extras like classic-design 'Circle' 17-inch black alloy wheels, side decals and a classic Volkswagen badge at the rear.

Other standard features will include bi-xenon headlights, blind spot monitoring and rear traffic alert systems.

The Scirocco R Wolfsburg special-edition, meantime, becomes available in November, and will be limited to 150 units.

Available in Oryx White Pearl or Rising Blue metallic exterior paint, the last Scirocco coupe to be offered Down Under will come with black Lugarno 19-inch alloys, black mirror caps and motorsport-inspired bucket seats with black leather and Alcantara trim.

The Wolfsburg-edition Scirocco R is on sale now, priced at $49,490 plus ORCs with a manual transmission, plus a further $2500 for a six-speed dual-clutch automatic version.