International debut of the new Scirocco
Sporty and innovative – Volkswagen Scirocco

The first-generation Scirocco was debuted in 1974. Designed by Giugiaro, built by Karmann, and sold in the States between 1975 and 1981, the first Scirocco was an instant showroom success. Although the replacement model (1982-88) and the portlier Corrado (1990-94) turned out to be less popular, Volkswagen decided to revive the affordable coupe with the Iroc concept.

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So it's back: 34 years after the first Scirocco was unveiled to a waiting world at the Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen is presenting a new Scirocco for a new era at the same venue. Now as then, the coupé is inspired by the fascinating idea of creating a sports car for every day of the year at truly affordable prices. And that is the essence of the Scirocco: the successful marriage top technology and low running costs, high comfort and dynamic performance, an uncompromising sporty design and a surprisingly spacious interior.

As the Volkswagen Group's Chairman of the Board of Management, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, commented: "What we have done with the Scirocco is to put the kind of sports car in our showrooms that people have dreamed of owning. A dream that a good deal of motorists – in spite of all the high-end engineering we have integrated – can actually afford." The Scirocco will be launched Europe-wide in late summer with prices in Germany starting at 21,750 euros; other countries will follow over the course of the next year.

Unlike any other Volkswagen, the Scirocco-to-be surprises with an almost sculptural three-dimensionality. The interplay between concave and convex surfaces is particularly striking where the hood, the front fenders, and the A-pillars meet and also where the C-pillars flow into the rear side panels. The dark roof blends so neatly with the large windshield that Volkswagen should consider making it standard--or at least an option--on the production car. Inside, large quantities of carbon-fiber trim adorn the roof structure, the doors, and the pillars. Predictably, the interior, which was penned by Nils Poschwatta, is going to be toned down to meet stringent cost targets. The basic dashboard layout, however, is there to stay, so you can expect two large, round gauges; rotary secondary controls; air vents that mimic the contours of the grille; and a dished sport steering wheel with three metal spokes. When you look back in time, you'll find that about the only fundamental difference between the Iroc cockpit and the instrument panel of the Mark 1 Scirocco is the high-mounted radio in the original car.

The steering is accurate and always on the alert, but it feels heavy at parking speeds. The brakes are a little grabby at first, but after a while one begins to appreciate the instant-on response and the linear deceleration. The hide-and-seek shifter is needed only to select drive, reverse, or park. If you really feel compelled to change gears manually, the steering-wheel paddles do the job just fine. There is not a lot to be said about handling and roadholding now, even though the show car is a real runner good for speeds up to 125 mph. The phenomenal grip seems to neutralize understeer, the suspension tends to favor body control over compliance, and with about 220 lb-ft of torque available just above idle, traction can be an issue in the wet.
When it goes on sale here, probably the Scirocco will be offered with the 168-hp, 1.4-liter high-output Twincharger and the GTI's direct-injection, 200-hp, 2.0-liter turbo. No VR6? At least not initially--there are many Volkswagen managers who believe that the six is the wrong engine for this car, for reasons that include weight, fuel consumption, price, market positioning, and nose-heavy handling.

Instead of the Scirocco VR6, we are much more likely to see a lightweight version powered by a tweaked, 230-hp, 2.0-liter four. When you consider that Audi soon will squeeze 280 hp out of this engine for the upcoming TTS, the output planned by VW is very much on the cautious side. In addition, this lightweight version, possibly called the R20 and earmarked for 2009, would get its own body kit, tires, seats, and cabin trim. Transmissions will include a six-speed manual and the DSG manu-matic. Over time, VW intends to build 40,000 units per year, but there is no stringent capacity limit should demand exceed expectations.

Volkswagen Scirocco video