Scirocco R refreshed with little
impact...
More Sciroccos roll off the boats at the
docks in the UK than in any other European market. Seems we like the Golf-based
coupe-cum-hatchback, so news of some updates should be of interest. However,
it’s unlikely that you’ll spot the changes.
The
Volkswagen Scirocco R is a visual standout from every angle, inside and out
VW’s stylists have been super cautious with
the facelift: re-profiled headlights sit above a redesigned bumper and new LED
lights sit atop another revised bumper at the back. Inside, there are deeper cowls
on the instruments and a three-dial dash-top set-up that pays homage to those
in the original Scirocco – the red digital clock perhaps too close to the
Seventies car it’s honouring. Otherwise it’s all beautifully finished but tight
for space in the back.
Revisions elsewhere in the range bring more
economy and greater output, and that’s the case here with the range-topping R
too. Like its Golf R relation, it’s powered by a 4cyl turbo petrol engine,
though unlike its proper hatchback sibling it’s not packing 296bhp, the
Scirocco R having to make do with a modest 276bhp. That’s still up, by 15bhp,
but if you’re stood in a VW dealership with a pushy salesman and the R
brochures in front of you, then you might feel a bit short-changed.
The
Scirocco’s cabin is an inviting place to sit, suitable for a wide range of
potential customers
That’s compounded by the Golf R’s standard
four-wheel-drive system, as the Scirocco makes do with drive heading just one
way – to the front. The ESP can’t be fully disabled here, either. And the Golf
is cheaper. Volkswagen counters with more equipment on the Scirocco, leather
covering the seats and DCC (Dynamic Chassis Control) as standard. That said,
we’ve yet to find a road smooth enough in the UK to bother messing with DCC, it’s
best just left in Normal mode where it rides with decent composure.
The engine spec might not be very exotic,
but it delivers a naughty-sounding burble that hoodwinks people into thinking
it’s of bigger capacity and has a greater cylinder count. The performance it
offers is impressive, the R’s midrange in particular is always grin-inducing.
Nobody will go down this route, but the R is best enjoyed as a manual, as the
DSG’s eagerness for high revs makes for frenetic progress rather than tapping
into the engine’s greatest strength.
The
Volkswagen Scirocco is powered by a 4cylinder turbo petrol engine
The chassis grips well, has mighty brakes
and plenty of traction. It is never anything but quick, but the lifeless
steering does little to engage the driver, meaning the R, despite its
firepower, is not a particularly exciting drive. That’s always been true, but
in the face of some far more interesting – and newer – competition that’s a
problem. The spectre of the Golf R also hangs heavy, particularly given its
more interesting spec and palatable price.
