9 February 2011
A third and more powerful model has been added to the Scirocco range. And like its Golf stable mate, the range-topping Scirocco has also been identified with the “R” suffix.
Last year we drove the 1.4 litre 118kW twin-charged and the 2.0 litre 147kW turbo-charged Scirocco’s and were suitably impressed with both. And having recently driven the full-noise Golf R, we were expecting a lot from the Scirocco R.
Reasoning that performance cars can never have too much power, the Scirocco R, with an additional 50kW over and above the output of the previously hottest Scirocco was an experience we looked forward to with eager anticipation.
When we drove the Golf R, we reported that one of the most impressive attributes was its tenacious road-holding. The Golf R sticks to any road surface with the best glue available anywhere, in the form of Volkswagen’s 4Motion driveline.
195kW driving the front wheels
But despite the Golf and Scirocco sharing the same platform, the Scirocco R does away with the 4Motion glue, in favour of a conventional front wheel drive set-up.
Collecting the Scirocco R on an extraordinarily wet Auckland day, we were soon to realise that close on 200kW driving the front wheels has its limitations. That much power on slippery wet smooth seal surfaces requires disciplined right foot restraint to avoid the tyres letting go.
The traction control does kick in, but not before a good deal of wheel-spin has already taken place.
And the ride is firm; jarringly so. A sports car should be stiffly suspended, but unfortunately for us, or perhaps for the Scirocco R, within a couple of kilometres from Volkswagen’s headquarters on Auckland’s Great North Road the surface changed from glassy smooth (no good for traction) to shockingly uneven (no good for hard suspension). So we weren’t off to a great start.
But what a difference a day makes. On the following day, when the rain had stopped and we had the chance to get the Scirocco R out of town, our first impressions of 24 hours earlier were quickly cast aside.
This is a car that really comes into its own on the open highway.
Set it free from the confines of the city and the Scirocco R takes on a whole new set of qualities. Performance is impressively lively, particularly in the upper mid-range and the chassis shines.
At 1,364kg the Scirocco R is around 100kg lighter than the 1,466kg four paw Golf R, and it feels it. While it doesn’t have the tenacious grip of the Golf R, especially off the line, it does feel the more nimble of the two on twisty back roads.
Handling is sure, safe and predictable and there’s no inkling of under-steer that is the unwanted by-product of some powerful FWD drivelines.
We’ve always raved about Volkswagen’s brilliant DSG box, and the six speed unit in the Scirocco R lends itself perfectly to performance driving. With steering wheel-mounted paddle shift, the driver has the ability to flick down a gear or two on a tight corner, enabling a quick exit.
Despite the absence of four wheel drive, the XDS, (Extension of the Electronic Diff Lock) is a standard feature, aiding traction under hard cornering.
LED daytime running lamps, 18 inch Taledega rims, and a more aggressive sports body kit incorporating deeper, wider air intakes differentiate the Scirocco R from the non-R models.
The R also gets dual zone climate air-conditioning, upgraded interior trim, heated front seats, automatically dimming rear view mirror and Bi-xenon headlamps with washer system. The space-saver spare wheel is binned in favour of a tyre mobility set including a 12 volt compressor and a can of tyre sealant.
At $68,250, the R carries an $11,000 premium over the Scirocco 2.0TSI, and is $4,250 less than the $72,500 Golf R. It’s a stunning looker, and a rewarding drive..
A fraction of a second slower to 100km/h than the Golf R’s 5.5 seconds, at 5.8 the Scirocco R is no slouch either. The Golf might have a higher level of grip from standstill but the Scirocco feels more lively on the fly.
As driver’s cars, both Volkswagen R’s are outstanding. Nobody would argue that the startlingly attractive Scirocco isn’t clad in the more sleek and appealing skin. If you prefer to go incognito, the Golf R is the way to go, but for those who don’t mind being noticed, the Scirocco R will delight.