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