Example:
modelNode.GetDisplayNode().SetActiveScalarName('Distance')
modelNode.GetDisplayNode().SetAndObserveColorNodeID('vtkMRMLFreeSurferProceduralColorNodeBlueRed')
modelNode.GetDisplayNode().ScalarVisibilityOn()
#modelNode.GetDisplayNode().AutoScalarRangeOn()
modelNode.GetDisplayNode().SetScalarRangeFlag(slicer.vtkMRMLDisplayNode.UseColorNodeScalarRange)
See API description here: http://apidocs.slicer.org/master/classvtkMRMLModelDisplayNode.html