The change-of-variance function is defined for estimators of regression coefficients. Both an unstandardized and a standardized form of the change-of-variance sensitivity are introduced, and their relation with the corresponding gross-error-sensitivities is investigated. The problems of optimal robustness lead to the Hampel-Krasker and the Krasker-Welsch estimators. At the same time, also the scale parameter has to be estimated robustly. By means of the change-of-variance sensitivity, optimal robust redescending scale estimators are constructed.