2014 VW Scirocco and Scirocco R revealed with Golf GTI cues

Volkswagen has pulled the wraps off of its new Scirocco, the German company's vision of the affordable sports car, headed to forecourts this August in Scirocco and hotter Scirocco R versions. Introducing new styling and a completely refreshed range of engines topping out with 276 HP in the Scirocco R, the updated car manages to trim fuel consumption by 19-percent on average, thanks to the addition to things like stop/start and battery regeneration.

Outside, there are H7 or bi-xenon headlamps at the front and LED rear lights, while the front bumper "blades" borrow from the Golf GTI. Bumpers themselves are now body-colored, helping the car look lower and wider, and at the back the hatch is redesigned and tops a new black-finish diffuser.

As for the Scirocco R, that gets bi-xenon lamps as standard, LED running lights, matte chrome door mirrors, chrome twin exhausts, roof-edge spoiler, and black-painted calipers, as well as a spattering of "R" logos. It also has new air outlets in the rear section, and glossy black paint for some of the vents.

Both the regular and R-badged cars get new wheels, from 17- through to 19-inches, and five of the thirteen paint finishes are new, including a pure white, red, and grey, and "ultra violet" and gold metallics.

Inside, the dashboard has been streamlined and the instrument cluster made more distinctive, as in the latest Golf GTI. Seats are finished in either fabric, Alcantara, or leather, while the Scirocco R gets racing seats and a leather-clad sports wheel. Air-con, electric windows, and hill-hold are all standard across the range.

Under the hood, there's a choice of a 150PS or 184PS diesel, or gas engines ranging from a 125PS 1.4 TSI, a 180PS 2.0 TSI, a 220PS 2.0 TSI, and finally the 280PS 2.0 TSI in the Scirocco R. All come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, though all but the 1.4-liter gas engine can be optionally fitted with VW's dual-clutch DSG gearbox with paddle-shifters.

VW will begin offering the new Scirocco in Europe in mid-August, with China, Argentina, Turkey, Australia, Russia, and South Korea following on shortly after. No word on any North American launch plans.