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Do I love these cars? YES! Do I like the styling? YES! Would I be happy owning a VW Scirocco of any description? YES!
I never fancied these cars at first. It looks like a dinosaur started stepped on a MK5 Golf then found something else interesting to chase - leaving what we know as the 'Scirocco' in its trail. Some people may find this car hideous, but after its arrival and initial comedic effect in my brain, I've grown really fond of them. What do I like best about the VW Scirocco? The fact that it isn't a MK4 Golf. Seriously. It doesn't fit the 'I haven't washed' description, which has very sadly made itself into the MK5 Golf's of late. Such a sad time because I love the MK5's, but they are slowly being destroyed with Buy it Now Coilover Kits and shoddy maintenance. The interior now has that distinct Maccy D's pong, over filled ash tray smell, not to mentioned the hint of dandruff over the handbrake and gear selector. Sad times indeed. Do I need a job to own a VW Scirocco? Well - you don't. But generally people that own them do. That is what I like about the owners. Every one I have met has that ''get up and go'' about them and its a good way to 'live' if you are on my planet. Sports Direct Tracksuits and Body Odor aside - the VW Scirocco is a massive technological leap from the MK5 Golf. The interior is clean, fresh, new. I am comfortable from the minute I get inside the cockpit. The instrument cluster is nice also. I remember the Head Unit (Stereo/Satnav) from the last MK5 Golf GTi I used to own - apart from that everything is different. The Chassis Driving this car was an absolute pleasure. It sits perfectly on the road - surprisingly well for a Front Wheel Drive vehicle. I 'tried' to lose traction in the wet and it wasn't easy, these Continental Sport Contacts are taking my soul, leaving fragments of it on every roundabout! Balanced, poised, bellissimo! I wouldn't have a problem driving this car everywhere - every day - every minute. I'm not sure what the owner would think of that, but I reckon I can twist his arm for another drive next Spring ;-) The Body Lovely lines on this Hot Hatch! It is a pleasure to observe -> look how the hips at the back 'squat' out similar to a Porsche 911. We could say this car has 'presence' ;P. I love the windows, the car looks sleek, aerodynamic, though I doubt it was designed for 150mph + driving, I'm sure it holds its own on the delicious Norfolk Roads. The Throttle This vehicle has been remapped by myself and has a much better pickup over the standard 140hp (320NM). At some point next year we will get the car to a Rolling Road to test the revised power output - I will update the power spec in the title when complete. My power changes in the throttle map (Relatives Fahrerwunschmoment) are at 100% request only, leaving the pedal feeling nice and sedate, unless maximum power is needed. I prefer to tune this way, as it makes town driving and parking less fearsome. Nobody needs 400NM at 10% throttle request when parking, though sadly I see many examples of this from several Tuning Companies. The Exhaust This car is a diesel, so there isn't much to add here. There weren't any noticeable noises from the exhaust when driving, and like the VW Polo I recently reviewed, I'm can guarantee the sporty twin tailpipe was fitted for aesthetics. It looks good to me, and that's good enough. I still want this car. I had a good cruise around Lowestoft and had a few blasts along the Dual Carriageway. It is definitely a 'drivers' car. If somebody is looking to purchase one of these I'd say go for it! I'm not sure what they cost but it is a definite investment if you are after something for the next 5-10 years. Nicholas Lawrence //ON CARS nick@on-cars.com |
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