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. (ScIROCco, get it?) A month before its public debut at the Paris auto show, we drove the concept, which is closely related to the production version slated for 2008.
The Iroc is definitely not your father's Scirocco. Based on the running gear and the platform of the Eos convertible, it is bold, butch, and mean-looking. They haven't offered shapes like this in Wolfsburg for years. But now Wolfgang Bernhard is in charge, and he wants "no more middle-of-the-road cars!" That's why the Iroc looks the way it does, and that's why the new Scirocco will look very similar to the Iroc.
True, the car that will leave the assembly line in Palmela, Portugal, starting in early 2008 will have less radical wheels and a slightly slimmer silhouette. Also due to change are the flush-fitting, electrically actuated door handles and the contrasting lower body panels, which will be painted. But the big picture is spot-on, with zero changes envisaged to the love-it-or-hate-it hexagonal grille, the headlamps, the side sheetmetal, the daring greenhouse, and the interior and exterior dimensions.
The engine fitted to the Iroc concept is the same Twincharger (supercharged and turbocharged) 1.4-liter four-cylinder that recently debuted in the European-spec Golf GT. What looks like a lame duck on paper is in fact a steam hammer on steroids. Thanks to the teamwork between the whining supercharger (active at low to middle revs) and the whistling turbocharger (active at middle to high revs), the compact four musters 208 hp. Thus, in terms of performance, the viper-green one-off is in the same league as the GTI. Quantitatively, that's about seven seconds for 0-to-60-mph acceleration and a top speed of about 130 mph. Unlike the GTI's 2.0-liter engine, which is relatively thirsty when pushed, the 1.4-liter Twincharger should stay on the eco-friendly side of 30 mpg.
The steering is accurate and always on the alert, but it feels heavy at parki
ng 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 at this point, 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, it's likely that 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 S
cirocco 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. Perhaps Wolfsburg should, in the wake of the reborn Scirocco, also reexamine the comeback of other cult cars. Bring back the Microbus!
True, the car that will leave the assembly line in Palmela, Portugal, starting in early 2008 will have less radical wheels and a slightly slimmer silhouette. Also due to change are the flush-fitting, electrically actuated door handles and the contrasting lower body panels, which will be painted. But the big picture is spot-on, with zero changes envisaged to the love-it-or-hate-it hexagonal grille, the headlamps, the side sheetmetal, the daring greenhouse, and the interior and exterior dimensions.
Based on a design by Robert Lesnik, who also conceived the Eos, the Iroc is a stunning blend of coupe, station wagon, hatchback, and proper sports car. Its pivotal styling element is the grille, which has a honeycomb pattern adopted from the GTI and an all-new brushed-aluminum frame. The inner segments could be selectively opened up to cool the brakes and the intake air, but the outer ducts are fakes.
The engine fitted to the Iroc concept is the same Twincharger (supercharged and turbocharged) 1.4-liter four-cylinder that recently debuted in the European-spec Golf GT. What looks like a lame duck on paper is in fact a steam hammer on steroids. Thanks to the teamwork between the whining supercharger (active at low to middle revs) and the whistling turbocharger (active at middle to high revs), the compact four musters 208 hp. Thus, in terms of performance, the viper-green one-off is in the same league as the GTI. Quantitatively, that's about seven seconds for 0-to-60-mph acceleration and a top speed of about 130 mph. Unlike the GTI's 2.0-liter engine, which is relatively thirsty when pushed, the 1.4-liter Twincharger should stay on the eco-friendly side of 30 mpg.
The steering is accurate and always on the alert, but it feels heavy at parki
ng 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 at this point, 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, it's likely that 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 S
cirocco 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. Perhaps Wolfsburg should, in the wake of the reborn Scirocco, also reexamine the comeback of other cult cars. Bring back the Microbus!
