Motors North

Make

ANY AC AIXAM ALFA ROMEO ASIA ASTON MARTIN AUBURN AUDI AUSTIN BENTLEY BMW BRISTOL BUGATTI CADILLAC CATERHAM CHEVROLET CHRYSLER CITROEN COLEMAN MILNE DAEWOO DAIHATSU DAIMLER DATSUN DAX DE TOMASO DODGE FERRARI FIAT FORD FSO GINETTA GMC HILLMAN HOLDEN HONDA HUMMER HYUNDAI INFINITI ISUZU JAGUAR JEEP JENSEN KIA KOENIGSEGG LADA LAMBORGHINI LANCIA LAND ROVER LEXUS LIGIER LINCOLN LOTUS MARCOS MASERATI MAYBACH MAZDA MCLAREN MERCEDES-BENZ MERCURY MG MICROCAR MINI MITSUBISHI MITSUOKA MORGAN MORRIS NISSAN NOBLE OPEL PAGANI PANTHER PERODUA PEUGEOT PILGRIM PLYMOUTH PONTIAC PORSCHE PROTON RELIANT RENAULT RILEY ROLLS-ROYCE ROVER SAAB SEAT SINGER SKODA SMART SSANGYONG SUBARU SUNBEAM SUZUKI TALBOT TATA TOYOTA TRIUMPH TVR ULTIMA VAUXHALL VOLKSWAGEN VOLVO WESTFIELD WOLSELEY YUGO

Model

ANY

Area

ANY Badenoch and Strathspey Caithness Inverness Inverness Area and Loch Ness Lochaber Moray Nairn and District Ross and Cromarty Sutherland Other

Price From

0 500 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000 100000

Price To

500 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000 100000

Your Local Newspaper

Inverness Courier Highland News
North Star Lochaber News Northern Scot
Ross-shire Journal Caithness Courier
John O Groat Journal Northern Times
Forres Gazette Banffshire Journal
Strathspey and Badenoch Herald

Copyright SPP Group

our test drives or view them all

Volkswagen Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI DSG

SCIROCCO sales will go like the wind. Even in recession there are cars that will sell – and Volkswagen’s stylish new coupe is a prime example.

I got my hands on the first Scirocco GT to touch down in the north – a 197bhp two-litre turbocharged TSI from Hawco Volkswagen fitted with £1330 worth of optional DSG automatic/paddle-shift transmission.

It is a formidable combination and while DSG (direct shift gearbox) is not everyone’s cup of tea it’s a firm favourite of mine.

Instant up and down changes are only restricted when the system recognises road speed is too high or too low for the selected ratio. That’s good in two respects – it teaches you to drive inside the efficiency band and protects your engine from being over-loaded at one end or over-revved at the other.

Flicking up and down through the six-speed gearbox using the paddles is a delight on a demanding cork-screwer of a road. Get it right and the Scirocco flows along with the engine barking between changes.

The “plus” and “minus” paddles are tucked close to the back of the thick, leather-trimmed steering wheel where they are easy to reach with the middle fingers of each hand.

I’m a DSG fan – I love the technology. But I’d be reluctant to drive the new coupe in full automatic, which is the gearbox’s other trick.

In truth if I wasn’t so sold on using the DSG’s paddles I’d be perfectly happy to opt for the close-ratioed, six-speed manual and save myself a fair old chunk of cash.

But there’s a lot more to Scirocco than transmission.

This coupe has the appeal of the exotic. It’s not pretty but delivers a glow of raw satisfaction with its aggressive front end and gaping lower maw while the elegant sweep of the rear quarters ape Volvo’s C30 and end more successfully in a solid tail bustle.

Scirocco’s stance is low and purposeful. It screams "drive me" and delivers the magnetic pull of a car that stirs the soul.

On the road the experience is none the less engaging. It’s an exciting car – undoubtedly Volkswagen’s best and a fine stablemate for the Golf GTI family.

The new Golf GTI is not far away and will mimic the Scirocco’s grille design – and there will be similarities elsewhere. Most of the coupe’s mechanicals are closely related to the Golf GTI – and that’s a good thing. The responsive two-litre TSI petrol heart in the test car is a familiar one that powers the Golf GTI. It’s a strong engine with great sporting character and ideally-suited to this gracious four-seat grand tourer.

The coupe gripped like a limpet on its large, low-profile tyres and displayed no vices on even the tightest of Moray’s side roads.

If there’s a complaint it’s my old chestnut, road noise. But big wheels with wide and 40-section rubber don’t come quietly – they let you know what they’re doing and drum on varying surfaces. But curiously it’s less irritating on a car like the Scirocco simply because the interior is so well insulated, comfortable and snug.

It’s inside that the Scirocco story really takes off.

Beautifully conceived and well trimmed, the cabin and dash takes Volkswagen close to the standards set by its sisters at Audi – intuitive, tactile and good to look at.

The interior layout is a little controversial. Like Volvo’s C30 the Scirocco has opted for two individual seats in the back. It restricts passenger capacity, but enhances comfort.

The rear bucket seats are not the easiest to clamber into and some passengers will find the high rising waist line and funereal black headlining claustrophobic. But headroom is good and the seats, though firm, grip well.

Up front the picture is better still. The twin sports seats are fully adjustable, as is the steering column, and I had no problem finding the perfect position.

Visibility is not brilliant though. Like so many modern cars where style and safety considerations compromise forward three-quarter sightlines, the heavy A-pillars obstruct visibility at junctions while that rising sill makes three-quarter views awkward and forces you to make maximum use of the interior and door rear view mirrors.

But the cabin environment is good. Heating and ventilation is powerful and the switchgear works well with a general ambience that reminds you that this is a quality GT.

Round the back there’s a hatch that accesses a reasonable 292 litres of luggage space and the rear seats fold to boost cargo. But it’s flawed by a very high sill that makes loading awkward.

The engineers at Wolfsburg know a thing or two about car construction. That’s evident in the solidity of the coupe – but not its weight. I was impressed to find the car drops onto the scale at barely 1.3 tonnes – not a lot given its 4.25 metre length and planted feel on the road. But it does explain why the Scirocco is so quick on the throttle, responsive on bends and energetic on hills – it’s also clear this careful weight trimming and good aerodynamics has helped economy with my relatively new car managing to average 37mpg overall.

Adaptable suspension gives you the choice of “normal”, “sport” or “comfort”. The first setting is a good general purpose slot while “sport” sharpens up the steering, firms the dampers and makes the Scirocco pin-sharp on a twisty road to underline its outstanding handling. Choose “comfort” and the coupe simply takes on an easier feel.

Like all modern Volkswagens, Scirocco gets a three-year/60,000 miles warranty and high standard specification. Safety is impressive with front and side airbags, advanced ABS brakes, electronic stability programming and front pretensioners. It also comes with a well-balanced power steering system perfectly suited to the car’s sporting nature, climate air conditioning, alloys, alarm and immobiliser, central locking and a radio with RDS and CD.

But add leather and you’ll reel at the £1535 bill, while a powered sunroof costs £630. Metallic paint is a £365 option while cruise control is a reasonable £210 and if you want sat/nav or essential rear parking sensors be prepared to shell out £1180 for the former and £315 for the latter.

Scuttling across the Dava Moor to Grantown and back onto coastal Moray via Carrbridge showed the Scirocco as a satisfying long-legged coupe.

When you want to enjoy the car’s chassis the 197bhp TFSI engine can rev its heart out while a more relaxed cruise sees the revs drop back as 207lb.ft of torque sucks the car along from just 1700rpm. It's relaxed and very capable.

Whichever way you slice it you are unlikely to regret a Scirocco. Volkswagen has been far too long in bringing this car to market – but believe me it’s been worth the wait.

Rating: 9/10

 

FINAL THOUGHT:  

Just what the Volkswagen badge needed. The Scirocco is about to boost the German “peoples’ car” fortunes with a dramatic sporting new arrival that turns heads and delivers impressive and enjoyable performance in an environment that is attractive, snug and comfortable. For just under £21,000 the Scirocco sales will go down a storm. This is a manageable four-seat GT with predictable front-wheel-drive and a superb chassis that should send a shiver up the spines of Audi TT salesmen. At last a practical, good-looking affordable GT with four superb seats, impeccable build and great handling.

 

CAR FACTS – Volkswagen Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI DSG

• Price: £20,940 (£22,270 with DSG auto)
• Capacity: 1984cc
• Power: 197bhp
• 0-62mph: 7.2 seconds
  
• Maximum speed: 145mph
  
• Economy: Combined 37.2mpg
  
• CO2 emissions: 179g/km
  
• ESP: Standard
• Insurance: Group 16