By Owen Ready
26 June 2008
It’s over 30 years since the first Volkswagen Scirocco was launched. The first model’s concept was simple; take the running gear from the sensible-shoes Golf and wrap them up in a more exotic, Italianate body for a reasonable price.
The new car’s remit is broadly similar and with the excellent Golf GTI as a basis it promises to deliver the goods.
It’s a difficult car to pigeonhole, mainly because it doesn’t have any direct competitors yet. Expect to see a latter-day Ford Capri if the Scirocco proves to be the hit that everyone’s expecting.
On the outside
The Scirocco is a striking car. It’s more compact than pictures suggest and with the sort of presence that its more upright rivals could only dream of.
The squinting headlights and slim, two-bar grille will form the basis of all future VWs and it works well here with the large trapezoidal lower intake adding the sort of aggression you’d expect from a compact coupe. Its starkness allows the rakish proportions and bold, voluminous surfacing take the limelight.
It’s best viewed from the rear three-quarter, where the broad shoulders and boat-tailed upper volume form a clean, muscular rump.
The looks alone will be enough to tempt people out of more traditional hatchbacks.
On the inside>>>