Better Than a GTI

By Andreas Stahl, Contributor Email
Date posted: 05-21-2008


It doesn't take long to realize that the new 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco is a better drive than the highly praised Golf GTI. The two might share much of their underpinnings, but the adoption of wider tracks ensures the former is more sure-footed around the Nürburgring.

And we know this because we're driving the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco on the Nürburgring, part of a final-check ride of VW's newest performance vehicle before it goes on sale in Europe this summer.

We're trying not to crash. Good thing the Scirocco is on our side, as it's great on this long track's more technical sections, like that running through Wippermann and down into the Brunchen. It remains nicely composed even when you charge into the corner and abruptly lift the throttle before stabbing the brakes and charging off up to Eschbach and the Pflanzgarten.

By the way, the Volkswagen Scirocco is back. Some 34 years after the original Giugiaro-styled coupe transformed a front-wheel-drive platform into a sport coupe that took the motoring world by storm, Volkswagen has revived the concept.

A New Wind Blows From Africa
The new 2009 Scirocco leans heavily on the earlier IROC concept wheeled out at the 2006 Paris Auto Show. Seeing it away from the glare of a show stand for the first time really drives home just how low and wide it is compared to the Volkswagen GTI.

Styled by an in-house team under former Volkswagen design boss Murat Gunak, it is muscular and contemporary, with wide rear fenders that give it a good deal of attitude and purpose. The most controversial departure from the IROC is the decision to replace the trapezoidal single-frame grille with a less prominent opening between the headlamps. The simplified look is meant to recall the unadorned VWs of the company's past, and insiders say we'll see it on the sixth-generation Golf scheduled to appear later this year.

Inside the cabin, the Scirocco resembles the Eos hardtop convertible — no coincidence, since both cars will be produced at Volkswagen's factory in Portugal. The new coupe does sport its own unique seats, which are positioned 0.6 inch lower than in a GTI. The cabin isn't exactly commodious, but lots of seat adjustment and a flat-bottom steering wheel mean you can find a good driving position. And the two rear seats offer more room than you'd expect.

Taking Its Measure
The Scirocco is not a big car, measuring 167.6 inches — just 1.6 inches longer than the European Golf. Its width of 71.3 inches makes it 2 inches wider than the Golf, while its 55.3-inch height means it stands 3.8 inches lower. Like most of VW's current models, the Scirocco sits on the corporate PQ35 platform, and its 101.5-inch wheelbase is shared with the Golf, while the track is shared with the new CC (61.8 inches up front and 62.0 in the rear). The trunk measures out to 10.4 cubic feet.

The suspension uses a predictable combination of MacPherson struts up front and a multilink arrangement at the rear, most of which is shared directly with the Golf. In a move that serves to provide it with its own unique on-road character, though, the Scirocco is among the first Volkswagen models to receive a new electronic damping system, offering the driver a choice between Comfort, Normal and Sport settings. The electronics not only affect the damping calibration but also alters the steering assist and throttle mapping.

As part of an effort to broaden the new Scirocco's appeal, the car comes with a wide range of four-cylinder engines. There are no fewer than three turbocharged direct-injection gasoline engines and two common-rail diesels.

Out of Pit Lane at Last
The Scirocco under us has a turbocharged 2.0-liter, and it makes 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a solid 206 pound-feet of torque at 1,700 rpm. Although the output is exactly the same as that quoted for the Golf GTI, this is not the familiar EA113 engine but instead an all-new EA888.

With boost building from idle, there is real shove from as low as 1,000 rpm, and it doesn't let up until you've breached the redline at 6,500 rpm. Even when you've dialed up too tall a gear — something that is all too easy on the first exploratory laps of the Nürburgring in a new car — this engine still pulls with zest. The best part, however, is the rorty exhaust note, which builds in intensity but never becomes overbearing.

With a curb weight of 2,862 pounds, the Scirocco is claimed to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.2 seconds. It always feels faster, and indeed its in-gear times reflect this. Development boss Ulrich Hackenberg points out that the Scirocco takes just 6.0 seconds to accelerate from 30-70 mph in 4th gear, which places the new coupe among some rather special machinery. Speed tops out at 146 mph.

Nordschleife Observations
While the standard six-speed manual transmission has a nice, positive shift action, the dual-clutch transmission is best suited to a hot lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife thanks to shift paddles on the steering wheel, which means you can keep both hands at work. "You can pick up almost 10 seconds," says Hackenberg with a smile before disappearing down the pit lane on his second exploratory lap in his own Scirocco prototype. The engines with lots of power and torque get the six-speed dual-clutch transmission, while the others get the brand new seven-speed version.

Other factors working in the Scirocco's favor on the Nürburgring, Hackenberg tells us, include the comparatively low overall height. "It lowers the center of gravity, so there is less tendency toward lean when you are pushing hard into corners," he says.

Indeed, the Scirocco's cornering attitude remains flat and controlled. Through the fast left at Schwedenkeuz — a corner that requires a good deal of nerve to take flat as the car goes all light — it remains wonderfully controlled. From the driver seat you are also aware that this is a particularly rigid chassis. Despite the beating dished out around the legendary Nordschleife — a place where Volkswagen engineers say 6,000 miles is roughly the equivalent of running 60,000 miles on normal roads — the car feels extremely taut.

Speed Racer
Agility is the key dynamic trait, with a keen turn into an apex and a strong level of cornering grip. Few cars feel at home on the run down to the sweeping right-hander after Kallenhard, but the coupe hits all three apexes with a degree of eagerness that few front-wheel-drive hatchbacks could hope to match.

On fast sections such as that through the Doettinger Hohe (where we top 130 mph in 6th gear just before the second bridge), the Scirocco also imparts a terrific feeling of stability. The steering, an electric-assisted rack-and-pinion shared with the Golf GTI, weights up well at speed and operates in a nice linear fashion as steering lock is applied. Unfortunately it is devoid of any meaningful feedback from the tires.

The biggest breakthrough in the Scirocco's performance is the ride quality. Despite firm springs, the adjustable damping ensures the ride never becomes choppy or even unsettled. We'll have to try the car on proper roads to be really sure, but on the Nürburgring it feels far more composed than the Golf GTI, and the front end feels especially well controlled — something that allows you to brake later in corners and get the power down earlier on exit.

Safe at Last
After 10 laps and more than 140 miles we're called in and told our time in the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco is up. Darn! This place is like a drug. Try a little and you want a lot.

In the end, we managed to coax a further lap out of our Volkswagen hosts. But by then it had become clear that Volkswagen has succeeded in providing the new Scirocco with the sort of performance and handling that made the original such a hit. It is no rocket ship, but its chassis displays an unexpected maturity. Granted, there are faster and more exciting cars to thrash around the Nordschleife on a sunny morning in the spring, but few will instill in you quite as much confidence and trust from the very first lap.

Therein lies the appeal of the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco. It will appeal as much to the enthusiast driver as those who buy it on the strength of its style alone. Whether it heads to North America is something that will ultimately hinge on exchange rates and Volkswagen's determination to push the brand here, as this car will cost more than $40,000 in Europe. That it deserves a place in the U.S. lineup is beyond doubt.

The question that arises, though, is just what affect the introduction of the Scirocco will have on sales of the Golf GTI. Hackenberg is convinced the two will appeal to different buyers. We, however, are not so sure.

Date posted: 05-23-2008

KLAGENFURT, Austria — Insisting that the Volkswagen Scirocco GT24 Concept is "much more than a styling exercise," the German automaker wowed the enthusiast crowd at Wörthersee on Thursday with the world premiere of its new race-tuned cult car.

The concept is based on the shell of the Scirocco racecar and wears VW Racing Blue livery. Although the company notes that "many components are carried over from the road car — a testament to their strength," the dimensions vary considerably. "Even wider, even longer and even lower," said Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, VW chairman for development, in a statement.

For the record, the Scirocco GT24 gains 8.9 inches in length and 2.4 inches in width (to accommodate a wider track), while ride height drops 3.0 inches.

The concept is powered by a race-tuned 2.0-liter four-cylinder TSI engine that churns out 321 horsepower. The engine is linked to a six-speed DSG gearbox. The concept rides on 18-inch lightweight racing wheels.

The cabin gets Recaro bucket seats in front, a unique steering wheel and a fire extinguisher. Set into a carbon panel are toggle switches to control the ABS settings, as well as electrical and ventilation systems.

What this means to you: A way to satisfy your Scirocco Jones in advance of the competition version of the Scirocco that starts the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring this weekend. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent

Change of heart: VW considering U.S.-spec Scirocco

Volkswagen disappointed its U.S. faithful when it announced last March that the United States would not be getting a version of its revived Scirocco hot hatch, but changing market conditions and strong consumer demand may have VW rethinking that decision.

According to Automotive News, VW is now considering giving the U.S. a version of the all-new Scirocco. VW originally scratched the Scirocco from its U.S. lineup due to an unfavorable exchange rate and the fear that the Scirocco would cannibalize Rabbit and GTI sales. However, a stronger U.S. dollar and higher-than-expected demand has VW reconsidering that decision.

“People are looking at: ‘Would it make sense? What are the volumes?’ and all that,” Steve Keyes, a spokesman for Volkswagen Group of America Inc., told Automotive News. “There’s no real decision yet, but we’re now discussing whether maybe there’s another way to bring a Scirocco here, positioning it a little bit differently.”

If the Scirocco does receive the green light for the U.S. market, VW would position it above the GTI – both in performance and price. VW is using the previous R32 as a case study for the U.S.’ Scirocco, with production likely to be capped at 2,000 or fewer units.

Like the R32, the Scirocco could also see a limited lifecycle. With a new GTI and hotter GTI-R on the way, VW would likely clear out the Scirocco before the new Golf-based models hit dealer showrooms.

No time frame has been given the Scirocco’s possible return to the U.S., but the new model has been on the European market since August.

It was a triumphant drive: in May 2008, three VW Scirocco GT24 cars lined up at the start of the 24-hour endurance race on the Nürburgring track. At the wheel: driving legends the likes of Hans-Joachim Stuck and Carlos Sainz. The teams drove two 238 kW / 325 PS strong race cars to a dual victory at the finish line, first and second in their class. Now Volkswagen is presenting a street version of the race car at the 2008 Bologna Motor Show: the Volkswagen Scirocco Studie R Concept. A genuine Grand Tourismo with a 198 kW / 270 PS engine that delivers aggressive propulsive power. This power is distributed by a 6-speed dual clutch transmission. Adapted directly from car racing are the coilovers, the four-piston brake calipers and a sound-optimized exhaust system with its oval, polished tailpipes.