Full Bora ahead for VW

THE "VWRX" - or as it is better known the V6 Bora 4Motion - is set to lead a rush of new models from the German manufacturer here over the next two years.

The four-wheel drive, six-speed, 140kW, 2.8-litre V6 goes on sale in July to head-up a revitalised Bora range.

It will be the fastest VW ever sold in Australia with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 235km/h.

It will be the second car launched by Volkswagen Group Australia, following the May 1 media debut of the "GP" Passat range, which went on sale last Saturday.

Volkswagen Group Australia is the factory-owned subsidiary that took over Australian distribution rights from Inchcape Motors Australia from January 1.

Managing director Peter Nochar is excited about prospects for the 4Motion. "We haven't had a car quite like that before," he said.

"With V6 2.8 and four-wheel drive in a small package, it's a real flying machine. We've got one at work, which we've all had a burst in and it's an absolutely fantastic car.

"It's a combination of different things. It's not as fast as a WRX, but if a WRX buyer is fed up with his teeth being shaken out and still wants a raunchy package then it fits for him.

"For the guy who doesn't want to spend all the money and doesn't need the badge of a BMW, it's got all the things that's got, and it's incredibly better value today." The 4Motion will sell in the low $50K bracket, with a better specified "Sports" variant offered closer to $60,000.

Mr Nochar said the 4Motion represented an opportunity to promote the Bora range, which he believed had suffered in the shadows of the Beetle launch early in 2000.

The 2.3-litre V5 will gain a small power boost while the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder model will continue.

Mr Nochar predicted the V5 would emerge from obscurity to become the sales leader in the Bora range. Also expected this year are the Passat Variant (renamed wagon) and Beetle turbo and 1.6.

Next year you can expect the all-new Polo and the W8-engined Passat. In 2003, the 4WD Colorado (a codename that is not expected to make it into production) and the D1 luxury car should appear.

Dealer revamp key to ambitious sales target

IMPROVED dealer presentation and performance is the key to Volkswagen Group Australia's ambitious plans to claim 25,000 sales annually within five years.

Managing director Peter Nochar said one of the keys to achieving the goal would be not only developing dealer numbers, but improving their quality as well.

Currently there are 37 Volkswagen dealers, with the short-term aim to take that out to 50, and to 70 in five years.

Mr Nochar claims to have "more than 60" applications from dealers for a VW franchise with "many from the cream of the crop".

But he believes not all the existing dealers will stay on board and not all the applicants will follow through.

That's because of the VGA's high expectations for dealer presentation and performance.

Among plans expected to be presented to dealers in July are improved staffing levels for dealerships in terms of both numbers and staff quality, a Volkswagen brand manager on each site and increased separation for VW on multi-franchise sites.