The countdown has begun for the new era Scirocco with its global launch recently taking place in Portugal. Generations I and II of the legendary two-door sports car wrote history as the most successful Volkswagen coupé of all time with over 800,000 units sold and Volkswagen is set to continue this success with the launch of the third generation Scirocco which will embrace the streets of the Middle East by the beginning of 2009.

Designed by Giorgio Giugiaro, the original Scirocco presented in 1974 has long held the status of being a cult car due to its fascinating strategy of putting a sports car on wheels that is fit for use every day of the year at an affordable price.

Scirocco unites passion and logic

The new Scirocco offers pure driving pleasure, a new powerful design, high-end technologies such as DCC adaptive chassis control and the new 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission. In addition, the Scirocco provides exclusive use of efficient turbo engines with up to 147 kW / 200 hp power, space for four adults despite its sporty image, an extremely high level of safety and the everyday utility that is typical of all Volkswagen vehicles. This mix of passion and logic costs far less than expected based on the car’s key data.

Although the third generation of the Scirocco follows exactly the same positioning as the first one, Volkswagen intentionally did not include the retro elements that were prominent in the original version. Conceptually the new Scirocco is a counterpart to the original version; this is because in the mid-1970s the successor to the Karmann Ghia also set out on new paths, both technically and visually.

Front end design of a new era

The third generation Scirocco is the first Volkswagen to sport the front end design of a new era. The main characteristic includes the chrome lamp bodies and high-sheen black interior surfaces of the headlamp housings that are joined by the radiator grille cross bar painted in high-sheen black.

The Volkswagen design team created a wagon-coupé based on flawless sports car fundamentals.  This resulted in a side profile that had the potential to permeate a status that goes beyond class distinctions. Thanks to its long sweeping roofline and near-vertical rear window, it also frees up space for variability and up to 755 litres of cargo capacity.

With its short overhangs, the Scirocco efficiently utilises its 2,578 millimetre wheelbase to offer ample space. The Volkswagen is 1,404 millimetres tall, 4,256 millimetres long and its width measures 1,810 millimetres.

Four turbo engines at market introduction

One challenge in creating an affordable sports car is to have both an extremely agile but also economical engine.  The TDI and TSI – turbocharged diesel and gasoline direct injection engines do exactly this; maximum power with minimal consumption has made the Volkswagen TSI and TDI four cylinders synonymous with a new generation of the most fuel-efficient and at the same time sporty Volkswagen engines.

Volkswagen will offer the Scirocco with two TSI engines (118 kW / 160 hp and 147 kW / 200 hp). Shortly thereafter, a TDI (common rail turbo-diesel, 103 kW / 140 hp) and another TSI (90 kW / 122 hp) will be added to the engine lineup. Decisive here is the fact that even the 122 hp base engine offers a maximum torque at an extremely low engine speed (200 Newton-metre starting at 1,500 rpm). Its average fuel consumption of 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres shows considerable restraint.

In the case of the latest TSI with 160 hp, 240 Newton-metre of torque consumes just 6.5 litres super unleaded per 100 kilometres.  Even on the 200 hp TSI with its considerable 280 Newton-metre of torque, fuel consumption is just 7.7 litres. The TDI also shines with very good torque and fuel economy values. Over 100 kilometres this 320 Newton-metre strong four-cylinder consumes just 5.4 litres of fuel.

Two crisply shifting dual clutch transmissions

Standard equipment on the Scirocco is the smoothly and precisely shifting 6-speed transmission. The DSG dual clutch transmission is offered as an option on the three engines starting at 140 hp. A 6-speed DSG is used with the TDI and the powerful 200 hp TSI. The 160 hp TSI distributes its power over an even broader range of gears with the 7-speed DSG.

Optional sport chassis with three level settings

Ideally tailored to the Scirocco is the new DCC adaptive chassis control system. Not only is the damper characteristic controlled here, but also tuning of the electro-mechanical power steering. Adaptive chassis control offers the three programmes “Normal”, “Sport” and “Comfort”. Significant here is the fact that adaptive chassis control improves the driving characteristics of the Scirocco full-time. That is, the suspension is continually adapted to the roadway and driving situation. The system also reacts to accelerator, brake and steering inputs. It is able to resolve the conflict in goals between a tight sport suspension and a comfortable one.

Standard features

The new Scirocco is one of the most attractive sports cars in terms of price but yet its standard features place it on the same level as the far more expensive coupés. Always on board are 17-inch alloy wheels, height-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, leather steering wheel, parking brake handle and shifting lever grip, sport seats, split folding rear seatbacks, power windows, air conditioning, ESP, braking assistant, six airbags, power steering and of course a sport chassis. On the top 200 PS model, standard equipment also includes chrome tailpipes, a “Titanium black” roof liner and a sound generator.

Panorama vent sunroof

Supplying vast amounts of light to the interior is an optional large panorama vent sunroof that extends from the A-pillars to the B-pillars. At the press of the button the transparent roof opens up to 39 millimetres. When the sun is intense, a sunshade can slide over the sunroof for protection; however that is not likely to be necessary as the glass of the panorama vent sunroof only transmits 8.2 percent of the UV radiation, 2.8 percent of the infrared radiation (heat) and 6.9 percent of the visible light.