Headlines out of Europe are suggesting that we may as well bid farewell to the Volkswagen GTI, a Good 12-winning car. After all, they’ve driven the new Volkswagen Scirocco and realize that it’s better in every way. Cheaper; with better dynamics and a cooler exterior: sounds like a recipe for success.
GoodCarBadCar.net has already posted evo’s verdict for the new VeeDub. 4.5 stars ain’t shabby, considering 5-star cars are as rare as steak at a running-behind wedding reception. Ollie Marriage was the reviewer for evo. These are his words.
“But this new Scirocco, here in 197bhp 2.0 TSI form, isn’t as closely related to the current Golf GTI as you might think. Not only is it longer, wider, and almost 100mm lower, but track widths are up, 35mm at the front and a generous 59mm at the rear, while the springs, dampers and anti-roll bars have all been retuned….. The wider track and lower centre of gravity mean the Scirocco can be tipped into corners with relative abandon. Its behaviour and manners are very hot-hatch – it cocks a rear wheel in the air and exhibits (and successfully communicates) a real enthusiasm for the task in hand. It’s also surprisingly adjustable on the throttle….. Compared with the Golf GTI, which admittedly isn’t the snappiest hot hatch, the Scirocco is more agile and energetic. It also seems to gain speed faster….. When it arrives in the UK in September, the 2.0 TSI Scirocco is likely to cost around £20,500, compared with the Golf GTI’s current list price of £20,825 – and the first cars will be fully loaded ‘GT’ models aimed at early adopters and featuring switchable dampers…. In the longer term, prices for the lower-spec 197bhp model, badged simply Scirocco, could dip below £20,000, and three more engines will come on stream next year….”
From Car Magazine’s Anthony ffrench-Constant:
“Despite a heavily tapered glasshouse, sculpting of the Scirocco’s rear bench to sensibly limit accommodation to just two passengers finds them sitting sufficiently inboard that headroom only becomes a problem for those over 6ft tall…. Giving surprisingly little away to the 2.0-litre GTI engine in straight line speed, I can’t help feeling it abets the car’s agility through the reduction of front-end weight adding just a sniff of further crispness to turn-in, whilst also allowing the car to hold its line for a whisker longer before front end traction steps over the can’t-be-arsed picket line.”
But you, oh North American citizen, can’t have it. For more on that, check out this link with a click. No wonder Volkswagen thinks the Scirocco would cannibalize sales of the GTI on this continent. Who wouldn’t buy the cheaper, better-looking, sportier car?
