When VW first lifted the covers off the Iroc concept at last year’s Paris Motor Show our first thoughts was here is a car that would look stunning just the way it was. Unfortunately VW’s new CEO Martin Winterkorn didn’t agree and he subsequently sent designers back to the drawing boards to revise the final styling, which also had the unwanted effect of pushing the new Scirocco’s release date into the second half of next year.

As this latest rendering suggests, the new car loses the aggressive front end styling of the concept and instead sports a divided grille with a single bar at the top and larger intakes beneath. The overall proportions remain much the same but the production version loses the sculpted flanks and picks up shaper lines around the glasshouse.

Production will start at VW’s Portugal plant early next year alongside its cousin, the Eos convertible. Since both cars share the same basic underpinnings it’s thought VW may add a drop-top version of the Scirocco complete with a folding metal roof.

The engine lineup will kick off with VW’s brilliant 1.4L twin-charger and top out with the Golf R32’s torquey 3.2L V6 engine. Both FWD and AWD models will be on offer, including a new GTI version with VW’s latest 2.0L turbo engine and FSI technology. This new engine, which will also be appearing in the Mark VI Golf GTI, will develop around 230hp and will be available with the six-speed DSG gearbox.