Caught in the classifieds: 2016 Volkswagen Scirocco R
When the Scirocco first came out at the beginning of 2008, everyone thought it looked like a cracking little coupe. Sharing a ton of components and a chassis with the Golf, the Scirocco offered a more stylish alternative to VW’s best-selling car for people who wanted something that looked sportier.
Aimed at a younger audience, the Scirocco looked amazing, but it never had the punch to back up that aggressive styling. In one episode of the original ‘Top Gear’, I remember Jeremy and James reviewing a diesel version of the Scirocco, ending up terribly disappointed with its lack of performance.
Although I get the appeal of the diesel engine, as I drive a diesel myself, a car which looks this good ideally needs a powerful petrol engine to back up its brutish looks. VW realized this, so shortly after debuting the standard Scirocco they unveiled the GTS and the R version.
In this week’s “Caught In The Classifieds” section, I’m highlighting the more potent R variant. This particular example I found on our site has less than 22,000 miles on the clock and it’s on sale right now for exactly £18k. It’s a one-owner car and it’s barely even worn in yet. Given its mint condition and the fact that it might be somewhat of a future mini-classic, I reckon this car is worth every penny of that £18k sticker price.
Exterior
I haven’t got a single complaint regarding the way this thing looks, and from what I can gather, most people don’t either. It’s a brilliant-looking coupe that doesn’t look like any other VW product ever made. It’s undeniably recognizable as a Scirocco even from a mile away, which is a large portion of its appeal and one of the biggest reasons why some people bought Sciroccos instead of Golfs.
I love the pointy front end with that aggressively-styled fascia. Standard Sciroccos got halogen headlights but R variants feature projector headlights with xenons inside, which work better and are a massive improvement, especially at night.
The large central opening in the middle of the bumper is functional, as it works to channel air to the radiator and cool the engine. I’m a big fan of those side air dams too, especially with those horizontal slots which beautifully compliment the thin horizontal grille connecting both headlights.
The Scirocco has every traditional coupe styling element, i.e. a sloping roofline, a short rear overhang, and a large front door that stretches way behind where the B-pillar should have been. The rear end is probably my personal favourite angle of the car, particularly on this facelifted Scirocco.
The waistline from the sides scoots upwards and connects with the lower portion of the rear windows just above the taillights, perfectly complimenting that small-but-noticeable roof spoiler. The twin exhaust pipes, one on each side, are the cherry on top of this magnificent-looking cake.
Interior
The Scirocco’s interior isn’t as impressive as its exterior, because it’s mostly just a regular Volkswagen Golf minus a few cubic feet of space. Nearly everything inside has been taken from the Golf parts bin, from the steering wheel and the dashboard to the seats and the knobs. That being said, if you’re going to steal, you might as well steal from the best, which at this price point is the Golf.
Using the same components for its hatchback and its coupe allowed VW to keep costs low, making the Scirocco more affordable and attainable for a lot of younger people. The seating position is great, the build quality is excellent, and if you don’t mind slightly less headroom in the back, it’s even practical too.
It’s not a Golf, but for a small-ish coupe, it’s not half bad. It definitely feels roomier than something like an Audi TT or a Peugeot RCZ as you can fit actual human beings in the back and not treat the rear seats like a parcel shelf.
Engine and Performance
The Scirocco R is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 280 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. As standard, the Scirocco R is manual, but you were able to specify it with a DSG as an optional extra. This particular example is a manual as I feel these types of cars should always come with a manual, especially if you enjoy driving.
Being the ‘R’ version, you might think it’s all-wheel-drive, similar to the Golf R, but it isn’t. It’s actually front-wheel-drive only, meaning you couldn’t specify an AWD system even if you wanted to. The Scirocco is manufactured in a different facility to the Golf, so creating an AWD variant was not an option as it would have cost too much money to develop and assemble.
That being said, if you think of the Scirocco R as a Golf GTI on steroids, you’ve got a pretty accurate idea of what it feels like to drive. The sprint to 62 mph takes a fraction under 6 seconds, and it’ll go on to a limited top speed of 155 mph. It’s quite potent in a straight line, but it’s more than playful in the bends too.
It doesn’t understeer or torque steer nearly as much as you think it should, thanks to a clever diff and some helpful electronics. Is it as fun as a Golf R? Not by a longshot, but it feels nimble and agile at reasonable speeds, almost like a Golf GTI that’s been turned up to 11.
The engine feels lively and is eager to rev, despite being heavily turbocharged. I could see someone using one of these as a daily driver, especially given that the fuel economy isn’t all that worse compared to the smaller 1.4 TSI.
Model: VW Scirocco
Trim: 280 BlueMotion Tech R
Mileage: 21,900
Price: £18,000
Why buy one
It’s an excellent car which looks better than almost anything in its class. You could argue that the Peugeot RCZ is more handsome, but then again, it’s a much smaller car with two fewer seats (the rear seats in the RCZ are hopeless). The Audi TT is both smaller than the Scirocco and more expensive (for the TTS or TT-RS version), so that’s out as well.
Really, if you want a sporty coupe that is quick and won’t break the bank, here’s my suggestion: go check out the used Volkswagen Scirocco cars for sale on DesperateSeller.co.uk right now.
