When I left school 20 years ago a friend of mine had a MK2 VW Scirocco (pic right top), and if I’m honest I was a teeny weeny bit jealous. I was delighted to hear in 2008 news of the plan to bring it back.
It’s taken me 3 years to have a go in one but you have to admit the new Volkswagen Scirocco is quite a sexy car. If there was such a magazine as Auto Erotic (maybe there is?), the Scirocco could definitely do a great centrespread for it.
That’s not to say it’s a flashy car, the white 2.0 TSI 210 PS model we tried sort of reminded me of ‘Eve’ from the film Wall-e. It’s smooth and understated, classy, but unfussy and I can’t think of (m)any cars under £25k that look as good.
Based around the same things as the VW Golf GTI, the Scirocco is longer and wider and an altogether different animal. It’s certainly a head turner and there is more to get excited about.
It’s capable of 0-60 in 6.9 seconds, (the same as a GTI) put your foot down and the engine roars and responds, with a top speed of 149 miles per hour, the problem with that is finding somewhere in the UK you can actually drive it legally that fast.
If you are interested in the environment you may want to skip over the next sentence to ensure a guilt free driving experience.
Its emissions while not shockingly high are 172 g/km O2, (above average),
in addition its 38.2 combined MPG is reasonable for a car with a 16 valve, 4 cylinder engine with twin exhausts.
However, let’s not get bogged down with figures, the Scirocco is a COOL car and if you were single it might possibly aid any quests for a new partner you had (in the short term at least).
As Prince once said “Money doesn’t buy you happiness, but it can pay for the search”.
Not totally unconnected with this statement are the inside front and rear leather sport style seats. Very comfortable indeed, and there is a more room than you might think in the back. The boot is a good size too even if the tailgate is a bit on the high side for those people with bad backs and short arms.
The large doors mean getting in and out of the rear seats is easier, although the Scirocco is lower than a Golf so you’ll have to keep taking the cod liver oil tablets for flexible joints.
In the front the dashboard is full of the usual immaculate German precision you would expect from Volkswagen, (get the Sat Nav, it is one of the best), but its feel is more of one in keeping with a family(ish) vehicle than a flashy sports car. With air conditioning and heated seats you can be hot or cold at the touch of a button.
Modern gadgets are welcome and the USB and iPod cables allow you to get you music playing through the stereo, and there is Bluetooth to connect your phone. The gear change indicator directly infont of you can also help you drive the car more efficiently.
[nggallery id=61]So what is wrong with it?
I found the ride to be a little on the firm side on bumpy roads, even after adjusting the settings from Sport to Comfort, part of this maybe down to how new the test model was though.
The six speed gear box is very very good, but normally as soon as you are in 5th it recommends you move up to sixth gear. It reminded me of the guitar amps in Spinal Tap that go up to 11. ‘Why not just make 10 the loudest?’.
And while we are nit picking the interior door handles are weird triangle things that while making a bold statement, look like something from Buck Rogers in the 25th century.
If you are thinking about buying a new Golf GTI, Seat Cupra or similar, have a look at the Scirooco too, there isn’t much difference in price and what you get is something a lot more individual and a little bit more sexy.
The Scirocco’s recommended ‘on the road’ retail price without the Multi Media extras, Truffle ‘Vienna’ leather seats and seat warmers is £24,465 on the road.
For more info visit www.vw.co.uk