| Volkswagen dealers must be feeling rather | | | | return to form after the disappointing Mk3 and 4 |
| nostalgic this year with the return of their prodigal | | | | variants, but it looks like an old lady next to the |
| son - the Scirocco. There's something special | | | | Scirocco. |
| about the return of an icon that tugs at the | | | | Designed by Giorgetto Guigiaro, the Scirocco is |
| heartstrings of the human race. As a child I | | | | longer, wider and lower than the Golf which gives |
| remember watching my beloved Manchester | | | | it an aggressive stance whilst avoiding boy racer |
| United tear apart teams in an era when football | | | | comparisons. The Volkswagen brand is built upon |
| had just become big business at the dawn of the | | | | bullet proof reliability and practicality. The Scirocco |
| English Premiership. At this time I recall seeing Eric | | | | takes these elements and wraps them in the |
| Cantona lash out at an opposing 'fan' with a | | | | finest cashmere coat and suddenly everyone |
| kung-fu kick that equalled a nine month | | | | stops and stares. The Volkswagen badge is |
| suspension. For all the uproar, the media backlash | | | | pushed up onto the bonnet allowing the narrower |
| and preaching, his return against Liverpool was a | | | | grill to give the bonnet a frown that neatly |
| modern-day resurrection. | | | | marries up with the headlights. |
| When a band reforms for a tour you know that | | | | The doors are pillar-less and gigantic, meaning that |
| 99 percent of the time it's because someone's | | | | side-on the VW looks like one beautiful sweeping |
| money has been blown on private jets and | | | | sheet of glass. The driving position is low slung and |
| glamour models and a new tour will keep them in | | | | comfortable thanks to big fat seats. All this style |
| paradise for another few years. Regardless of this | | | | and comfort is predictably to the detriment of |
| fact, we all clamour to see true greatness one | | | | rear passenger space and visibility. My repost |
| 'last' time, so we go wild at the prospect of | | | | would be that if you buy a Scirocco for these |
| seeing the Police, Sex Pistols and um the Spice | | | | two features you shouldn't be allowed out in polite |
| Girls and pray for a glimpse of their former glory. | | | | society anyway. |
| The Scirocco was a legend in its own lifetime | | | | Currently Volkswagen dealers offer the car with a |
| before it went on hiatus. These days an | | | | 197bhp, 2.0 litre turbocharged engine. Early 2009 |
| affordable sports coupe comes with front wheel | | | | will see the arrival of 1.4 litre petrol and 2.0 litre |
| drive, it's an accepted fact. Back in the late 70's | | | | diesel engines, all with the option of Volkswagen's |
| when the Scirocco was born this was seen as a | | | | DSG dual clutch auto-gearbox with F1 style paddle |
| bit lightweight and flighty. The car initially was | | | | shifters. As seems to be the way these days, |
| underpowered and wasn't handsome but pretty, | | | | the car has different modes depending on driving |
| making it impossible for any man to be taken | | | | conditions, in this case 'Sport' and 'Comfort'. More |
| seriously amongst their mates. Soon after its | | | | importantly, the Scirocco has a lower centre of |
| launch however, the Scirocco was fitted with the | | | | gravity than the Golf GTi thanks to a wider track |
| same 1.6 litre engine found in the Golf GTi and | | | | and as a result it's a very able car through the |
| suddenly the pretty car had balls of steel. | | | | twisty stuff. The steering felt slightly uninvolved |
| Thus it became a legend. Women loved its | | | | despite the car being beautifully balanced and |
| prettiness and men loved telling the women they | | | | handling corners with ease, but this is a personal |
| owned one. It was in many ways the most | | | | preference and not a major issue, particularly |
| successful 'bird puller' ever. Unfortunately I don't | | | | when you switch to 'Sport'. |
| have the exact statistics to back up this claim. It | | | | With a price tag starting at £22,000, it's |
| didn't drive particularly well but it looked the part | | | | not going to pension off the Golf GTi but should |
| upon arrival and that in a sports coupe is priority | | | | happily run alongside its brother in the Volkswagen |
| one. | | | | family. The best thing about the latest Scirocco is |
| As I've already established true icons have a | | | | that it retains the most important feature of the |
| second coming and Volkswagen dealers will be | | | | original model. It doesn't matter how you got to |
| reintroducing the new Scirocco into the wild a full | | | | your destination, sport mode or not, it's how you |
| 34 years after the original. History has repeated | | | | look when you get there that counts. I don't have |
| itself as the new car shares the same platform | | | | my statistics book to hand but I reckon the |
| as the Gold GTi, beneath its sleek exterior. I'm a | | | | Scirocco will have men telling women everywhere |
| big fan of the latest GTi which is a welcome | | | | they own one. |