We've picked out 20 of our favorite VW ads from the Classic Ad Watch series for your enjoyment. From the 1950s through the current decade, from the USA, Germany, South Africa, China, Mexico, and Brazil, these ads cover the highlights of the Volkswagen product line in entertaining fashion

1984 Rabbit	1987 GTI	2005 Caddy	Beetle
1984 GTI	1998 Transporter Syncro	1984 Vanagon	1979 Scirocco
1968 Beetle	1979 Rabbit	1972 Beetle	1981 Vanagon
1970 Karmann Ghia	1958 Beetle	1976 Transporter	1958 Transporter
1955 Beetle	1971 Karmann Ghia	1983 Beetle	1966 Fastback

The muscular hatch grows even more athletic in appearance thanks to a new, larger front fascia more appropriate for an RS-spec Audi than an R-type VW. Power is controlled either through the DSG or a six-speed manual, pushing the VW to 62 MPH 6.4 seconds and 6.5 seconds, respectively. Technical upgrades also include a lowered suspension, larger brake discs, and the XDS differential currently seeing service with the GTI.

None of this makes the Scirocco or Scirocco R more likely to get a shot on this side of the pond.

The new Scirocco R – From the race track to the road
Sports car has international debut at the Nürburgring

Wolfsburg / Nürburg, 20 May 2009 - There could not be a better time or place for a world premiere: parallel to the start of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, Volkswagen is presenting the new Scirocco R for the first time anywhere. A sports car without compromise and a race track that demands everything of the driver will be meeting together this weekend.

Approximately one year after the market launch of the third Scirocco generation, Volkswagen is presenting the most powerful series built Scirocco ever made at the Nürburgring. Its charged four-cylinder 2.0 l TSI is impressive with an output of 195 kW / 265 PS and 350 Newton metres of torque – the dynamic effect is just as striking as the running gear which provides optimal traction characteristics thanks to, amongst other things, the new front axle differential lock XDS.

The design of the Scirocco R is largely based on the Scirocco GT24, which was designed for motor sports: there are large air intake openings in the front bumper which the engineers used to achieve optimal cooling for the engine and the brakes, and an integrated front spoiler as well as the bi-xenon headlights. At the rear end, the roof edge spoiler, which is much larger than on the standard model, a striking shining black diffuser and the chrome tailpipes of the dual exhaust system dominate the design. The side view of the vehicle is characterised by the powerful sill panels as well as the specially-designed 18" alloy wheels "Talladega".

Volkswagen will demonstrate the potential of the new Scirocco R during the 24- hour race with this racing version. With a total of five Sciroccos, driver teams including Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the Volkswagen board of management for technical development, the rally world champion Carlos Sainz as well as this year's Dakar winner Giniel de Villiers, will be at the start line.

[Source: VW]

Fearful of taking sales away from the new 2010 Golf GTI and unwilling to launch a new model in the harsh auto climate, Volkswagen of America's Tom Wegehaupt told AutoBlog it officially isn't happening.

We're a bit bummed by the news because the current Scirocco is by far the most attractive variation of the A3/Rabbitt/Golf/Altea/Touran/Jetta/Rabbitt platform. Having no good outlet for our disappointment we're going to irrationally lash out at the messenger. Damn you Tom Wegehaupt! Why do you hate America? Have you no shame!?!

[AutoBlog]

B&B has gone through the Scirocco lineup and comprehensively tweaked each and every one for different buyers. No engine goes untouched, with the installation of updated cranks, forged pistons, modified heads, new exhaust systems, ECU programming, new turbos, and oil coolers, the different engines provide horsepower at 235 HP, 250, 265, 286, 300 and 350 with the top line EVO R. Along with a lower, more aggressive suspension compliments the engines and the body gets some love too with a revised front end, rear lower fascia, side sills and some pretty nice looking wheels, not to mention a roof spoiler. For a tuner piece, this car actually looks damn good. [Fancy Tuning]

Here's the scene under the hood of the Squirrels Of Fury car. Oh sure, you've seen LeMons cars with holes in the engine block before, but the Squirrels take it to a new level...


Yes, that's a flashlight shining all the way through the block. The car had been leaking oil for quite a while, so the engine compartment and underside were thoroughly coated. When Mr. Connecting Rod finally decided he'd had enough, the resulting blast of hot flying metal and combustion gases set the oil alight.

Many thanks to Zandr Milewski of Team Dead Smurfs for the unspeakably amazing burning-VW photographs!

Callaway Cars held their first annual open house on the second weekend of October at the company’s headquarters located in bucolic Old Lyme Connecticut. Saturday was a spectacular, New England autumn day, bright, sunny, and warmer than normal, just right to showcase some of the rarest automotive creations that were ever made. This was also a chance to take in the essence of an organization, which grew from a one man business that was conducted in a garage in his home, to a well respected engineering and production company with three locations worldwide. I knew I would feel a little out of place, milling about between the owners of these rare cars and the cars themselves, until I came across one of the earliest Callaway Scirocco.

This 1982 Volkswagen Scirocco was not a show car by any means. The Black finish doesn’t shine as brightly as it did when it was new, the front and rear bumpers have taken on a silver gray hue from years of sitting outside, and the interior took on an aged, and weathered look, with the many wrinkles and cracks that are easily covered up on an aging Hollywood starlets face, but are proudly worn as a badge of honor on this car. You see, this car still has the Callaway Turbo window decal still in place, along with the set of Centro Wheels that were standard equipment with the package, and while it may not be a concourse winner any time in the future, it is a historical tribute to the Callaway name. And there it sat, among all those beautiful Stock, and Callaway modified Corvettes, commanding attention, almost as if the car was saying “Hell yea, I belong here too”. And it did.

The car is owned by John Kulp from Malvern Pennsylvania. While the car probably doesn’t produce anywhere near the 117 HP it once produced when it left the Callaway location all those years ago, it will get out of its own way. The car traversed to Old Lyme from PA, and according to John, it was comfortable, quick, and economical, just the way he imagined it would be all those many years ago when the car of his dreams was introduced in the early 80’s. John always wanted a Callaway equipped Scirocco, but could never afford one. That all changed when this car popped up on an Ebay Auction from a Connecticut Saab dealer, and soon enough, he was the owner of a well worn, but still hugely relevant VW Scirocco by Callaway.

To coin a phrase from Hemmings, this is a “Drivable Dream”. There is over 80,000 miles showing on the odometer, and it needs a great deal of work to become show worthy. The biggest problem John discovered is how pervasive the rust problem is. While the car s relatively rust free from the “B” pillar forward, almost everything back has the dreaded tin worm. One problem can be traced to the aftermarket electric sunroof installed by the original dealer, in which the drain holes never seemed to work correctly, collecting water within the roof panel, and support structure. The other problem was neglect, as if the car was parked in the mud, because the rear chassis and lower body is almost nonexistent. The one good thing about owning a unique vehicle based on a corresponding production one is that there are plenty of cheap, spare parts to replace components such as doors, fenders, and chassis parts, and this type of surgery is slated in the future for John’s car.

I asked John how he felt being the only participant to bring an early Callaway Scirocco into an event dominated by so many factory and modified Corvettes, and he said it was what he expected, except that instead of feeling like an outcast, he was totally embraced into the Callaway Family. So, as I bid farewell to John Kulp, and took the last set of images of his newly found pride and joy, maybe I shouldn’t feel out of place in which there is such a gathering of historical and ground breaking cars. And from that point, I didn’t.

Scirocco Studie R

* Volkswagen’s latest design study, the Scirocco Studie R, premieres at Bologna and is inspired by the Scirocco GT24 which raced to success in its class at the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race earlier this year. Finished in white, the Studie R has contrasting high-gloss black detailing and styling accents in red and green to the wing mirrors and on the ‘Bologna ‘08’ badging, paying homage to the Show’s host nation.

Three large air intakes at the front aid cooling to the uprated 2.0-litre 270 PS engine, while a front splitter is designed to minimise lift. The rear is dominated by a large rear wing and a distinctive revised rear bumper which incorporates a diffuser and twin oval exhausts. The Studie R is fitted with racing-derived sports suspension and four-piston brake callipers sit behind specially developed bespoke polished five arm, triple spoke 19-inch alloy wheels.

Inside the cabin, the Scirocco Studie R is upholstered with black and white nappa leather and complemented with low- and high-gloss carbonfibre trim. The Italian-inspired red and green design accents continue on the seams of the Recaro seats, steering wheel, armrest, gearknob and floor mats.

How differently? With the arrival of the upmarket VW CC, Volkswagen may be seeing room for a niche coupe between the GTI and the R32, priced enough above the GTI to prevent the feared sales cannibalization. But would a Scirocco then grab sales away from the Audi A3? Does VW care? Stay tuned. [Automotive News, Sub. Req.]

"The very first Scirocco was the absolute star amongst compact sport coupes”, reminisces Hans-Juergen Abt. The manager of the renowned car tuner is just as fascinated with the great-grandson of the Wolfsburger trend-setter: “The Scirocco looks really dynamic and the handling is very agile.” All the more so with the Kempten modifications. They really make a storm out of a desert wind: The ABT Front spoiler makes the unmistakable face of the coupe even more distinctive.
Even while stationary it is clear, who the “king of the ring” or the street is, as the ABT Scirocco seems to virtually lie in ambush of the kilometers ahead of it. This impression is supported by the lines on its sides, where the ABT Side skirts absorb and continue the sleek design. The indicated air inlets and edges in the doors underline the verve of the bodywork which rises at the back. The ABT Scirocco looks aggressive and very dynamic. The view from behind is also impressive: The ABT Rear skirt set, consisting of a rear skirt and a diagonally attached 4-pipe rear muffler, forms a sporty unit together with the ABT Rear wing.

ABT Sportsline recommends either its BR or AR alloys as an ideal complement to the extravagant body kit of the shooting star. The wheels are available in 18 to 20 inch and of course with fitting tires and wheel spacers.

ABT also has, of course, springs in its product range. They make the Scirocco up to 30 millimeters lower – and thereby even more agile – on the road. The complete Upgrade Kit consists of the design pack, the 4-pipe rear muffler, the springs and complete wheel sets (19 inch AR alloys,
diamond-machined and black, plus tires and wheel spacers) is available at the launch of the ABT Scirocco in January 2009 for a reasonable 5,990 Euros.

Anything that has such dynamic charisma must also have convincing performance. ABT has therefore also developed power refinements for the VW engine. The 1.4 TSI now offers 200 HP (147 kW) on the road with ABT Power instead of 160 hp (11 kW), and the turbo diesel with two liter capacity 170 hp / 125 kW (standard: 140 hp / 103kW) The ABT Scirocco will be available with these upgrades from the start. Later on in the year the compact sports coupe will also be available with an increased-power 2.0 TSI. With it the car has 240 hp / 177 kW (standard: 200 hp / 147 kW).
The brake pads of the ABT Braking system are able to cope with any situation, and with a diameter of 345 always grip powerfully. As is normal at ABT, all the details fit perfectly together and thereby result in a fascinating top range car. You can see that it comes from the very top of the range and want to drive it straight off.

ABT Scirocco – facts and figures

ABT ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
Engine: 1.4 TSI, 1390 cc
Power enhancement: ABT Power
Performance: 200 HP/147 kW (basis: 160 HP/118 kW)

Engine: 2.0 TSI, 1984 cc
Power enhancement: ABT Power
Performance: 240 HP/177 kW (basis: 200 HP/147 kW)

Engine: 2.0 TDI, 1968 cc
Power enhancement: ABT Power
Performance: 170 HP/125 kW (basis: 140 HP/103 kW)

ABT SPORTS WHEELS
ABT BR sports wheel 18” diamond-machined 8,5 x 18, offset 50
ABT BR sports wheel 18” high-gloss polished 8,5 x 18, offset 50
ABT BR sports wheel 19” diamond-machined 8,5 x 19, offset 35
ABT BR sports wheel 19” high-gloss polished 8,5 x 19, offset 35
ABT BR sports wheel 20” diamond-machined 9,0 x 20, offset 40
ABT BR sports wheel 20” high-gloss polished 9,0 x 20, offset 40

ABT AR sports wheel 18” diamond-machined, deep black 8,5 x 18, offset 50 matted, only with wheel spacers (4x 15 mm)
ABT AR sports wheel 19” diamond-machined, deep black 8,5 x 19, offset matted, only with wheel spacers (4x 15 mm)
ABT AR sports wheel 20” diamond-machined 9,0 x 20, offset 40

ABT wheel spacers, full set incl. wheel bolts (4 x 15 mm)

All sports wheels are also available as wheel set, including high performance tires

ABT AERODYNAMICS
ABT front skirt
ABT side skirts
ABT rear skirt, containing ABT rear skirt and ABT 4-pipe rear muffler
ABT rear wing
ABT insert for license plate
ABT full package, containing ABT front skirt, ABT side skirts, ABT rear skirt package, ABT rear wing,
ABT insert for license plate
ABT EXHAUST TECHNOLOGY
ABT rear skirt package, containing ABT rear skirt and ABT 4-pipe rear muffler

ABT SUSPENSION TECHNOLOGY
ABT suspension springs with car lowering (ca. 30 mm)

[ABT]

EAGERLY-AWAITED SCIROCCO SPORTS COUPÉ AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW

Customers keen to be among the first to drive away a new Scirocco can officially add their names to the waiting list as the car becomes available to order at Volkswagen Retailers across the UK today. Prices for the new car, which goes on sale on 1 September, have also been announced and start at £20,940 RRP on the road for the launch model, the Scirocco GT 2.0-litre TSI with 200 PS.

The original Scirocco was first seen 34 years ago, and over two generations and 19 years a total of 77,460 Sciroccos were sold in the UK. Now the new model blows in, with equally distinctive coupé styling, a practical hatchback boot, four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive - yet this is the most technically advanced production coupé that Volkswagen has produced.

All UK models benefit from Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) which operates via a set of four electrically adjustable dampers to alter the car's suspension, steering and throttle response set-up, and allows the driver to choose the most appropriate setting for the journey. Normal is the default; Sport adds firmer suspension and sharper responses for twisty roads or track driving; while Comfort offers a smooth and controlled ride best suited to motorway trips.

At launch, all Sciroccos will be powered by a 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS engine with either a six-speed manual or automatic DSG gearbox. Versions with a DSG 'box will command a £1,330 premium over their manual counterparts. The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine - already popular in the Golf GTI - produces 207 lbs ft of torque from 1,700 rpm and allows the Scirocco to achieve a 0 to 62 mph time of 7.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 146 mph. The combined economy figure for the vehicle is 37.2 mpg, with CO2 emissions of 179 g/km.

Early in 2009 a further two engines will join the Scirocco line-up: a 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS petrol and a 2.0-litre TDI common rail diesel unit with 140 PS and a combined economy of around 52 mpg. Both will come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.4-litre TSI will also be offered with Volkswagen's new seven-speed DSG 'box.

Two trim levels will be available - standard Scirocco and Scirocco GT. The launch engine is only available in combination with GT trim, giving customers a high level of standard specification which includes ABS with ESP, six airbags, touchscreen CD autochanger, climate control, 18-inch 'Interlagos' alloy wheels, front foglights and a multifunction steering wheel among a host of other items. Options are set to include a panoramic tilt sunroof, leather trim and touchscreen satellite navigation.

Volkswagen UK predicts sales of 3,350 Sciroccos this year, rising to around 9,000 in 2009 when a full line-up is available. Already over 11,000 people have signed up via www.volkswagen.co.uk to receive email updates on the new Scirocco model.

World premiere of the Scirocco GT24 with 325 PS

Wolfsburg, 22 May 2008 - Volkswagen will present the world premiere of a 239 kW (325 PS) version of the new Scirocco today at the legendary GTI Meet at Woerther Lake. For two days later, a team of legendary drivers will start the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in the sports version of the Scirocco. Thus, the new Scirocco will be in the spotlight at two cult events for car enthusiasts at the same time.

Volkswagen is presenting the racing version of the Scirocco GT24 at Woerther Lake in a world premiere. "This car doesn't need to be driven to look fast. The Scirocco GT24 with the blue-white finish sits so low on its extended wheel wells that a hand will not fit between the wheel arch and the tyre. Yet the race car remains unmistakeably a Scirocco from every angle. Just even wider, even longer and even lower," says Volkswagen Chairman for Development Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, who will not be passing up the opportunity to sit behind the wheel in the race in the Eiffel. The 325 PS Scirocco will also be driven during the race by legendary drivers like rally world champion Carlos Sainz and Hans-Joachim Stuck, three-time winner of the 24-hour Nuerburgring race. Incidentally, "Striezel" Stuck won the very first 24-hour race at the Nuerburgring in 1970. Now, thirty-eight years later, the Scirocco GT24 is competing. It draws its power from only two litres displacement: the 16-valve direct injection engine with a turbocharger and intercooler delivers its maximum torque of 340 Newton metres beginning from only 2,100 rpm. Gear changes are executed by a dual clutch gearbox (DSG), which is also available for the production model.

The idea of an affordable dream car was born in the 70s with the first Scirocco. The success of this two-seat sport coupe continued for nearly 20 years, during which time more than 360,000 Sciroccos were built. The enthusiasm for this car has been uninterrupted since Volkswagen presented the new version of the Scirocco at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The new car appears to have struck a chord with car buyers and will pick up with the success of the original Scirocco which, in the mean time, has developed into a cult car.

Yep, this little fastback will be in the same race as the Gumpert Apollo Hybrid and the Lexus LF-A. Sadly, there are currently no plans for a version of the race car to hit the streets, but who knows. After all, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24 started life as a specially-built car for this same race just a couple years ago.
[CarScoop]

But before we get started, let's get in the mood with a little tune that reminds us how the future promised nothing but suckiness during the Malaise Era.

The Datsun Z was quite the hot seller back in the mid-70s, and for good reason: it was reasonably quick, looked good, and was way more reliable than its Detroit competitors. Sadly, some of them got driven into ditches and then abandoned for a decade. Such as, for example, this 1977 Datsun 280Z, which could be yours for only 500 bucks. Actually, it wasn't exactly driven into a ditch- it was eased into a ditch. Eased so gently into that ditch that the driver hardly felt no more than a mild bump, like a speed bump in a suburban cul-de-sac... although the seller's statement "Needs Right front A-arm to get running again" tends to give one the impression that there was at least some hoonic grunching of metal involved. The seller mentions that the fenders are dented, but "it looks worse than it is," so we're probably talking about a one-weekend project to get it back in shape, right? No mention of drivetrain condition, but we'll assume it still has one. Interior... OK, it's bad. But they're getting crazy horsepower out of those Datsun sixes these days, and if that isn't enough you can always drop a V8 in it.

We were all mega-bum-tripped when we got the news that Volkswagen wouldn't be bringing the new Scirocco to the US, but some of the sting is taken out of that bad news when you realize how $550 will get you this 1977 Volkswagen Scirocco. It's got "new right and left floor pans" (which might lead suspicious minds to wonder about rust in other places). It runs but "doesn't drive yet" (probable translation: engine makes noise; brakes, electrical system, and suspension all broken). And, speaking of engines that make noise, this one is from an '86 Cabriolet. Sure, the body needs lots of work, and the interior is probably shot, but you get a "crack free" windshield as part of the deal. We have a motivated seller here, folks ("To many bills need to sell it"), so head out to Spokane and start living the Scirocco Dream!

Speaking of the Scirocco Dream, every time I see a Scirocco I'm reminded of the following couple of frames from Robert Armstrong's brilliant Mickey Rat #4:





Right, now on to the poll!

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I threw some clothes in a backpack, lined up a couple of shooters to take my place and made the 3+ hour drive to the nearest airport. A 737 and a couple of puddle-jumps later, I finally made it to Vail. It was one of those trips where you spend more time in airports than on planes, but who could pass up a few days in the Colorado mountains? Especially at a luxury hotel where even the toilet paper looks like a piece of artwork? And, of course, who could pass up driving the new Highlander? Especially as we'd heard Toyota designers and engineers worked closely with consumers in clinics to make the Highlander as friendly as possible with a unique "Customer First" approach.

But the Highlander wasn't the talk at the bar...err...in the media room. That's because every limo driver and tour guide in Vail mentions Kobe Bryant within the first 3 minutes of stepping in — despite the story being . And because we were staying at The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, the details kept on pouring in from well-intended tour guides.

Now, sorry guys, I'm not a big sports fan. Perhaps Bryant is one of the reasons why, but even I knew who Kobe was. Doesn't everyone?

And this is definitely one of those times one wonders if this should even be brought up. Kobe's activities in Eagle County, Colorado, ultimately left countless victims - including the members of his own family. But then our driver mentioned that THIS was the very hotel, and suddenly everyone was guessing if he or she was in "Kobe's Room."

Once a spy, always a spy - and I just couldn't resist: I had to find out which room Kobe had rented. It started with an internet search, and then with a hike across the property to find the room.

It turned out that Kobe's room on the night of June 30, 2003, was room 35. But shortly afterwards, likely because of all the media attention and countless curiosity-seekers, The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera renumbered all of their rooms, and every bit of furniture in Room 35 was reportedly sold to a used-furniture dealer in Denver. Today room 35 is now 156! (No big secret here ... any amateur sleuth could of figured that out!)

So who was in Kobe's suite this evening? I'll never tell (perhaps I was paid-off!), but regardless of the unusual events surrounding the Lodge at Cordillera it was well worth it to be a part of the Highlander's launch.

But I had to hurry back to my 1940s-era motel (in an undisclosed location, of course) because BMW had an X6 sitting across the street, and the Scirocco was just screaming for pictures!!

Brenda Priddy

Look, we hate to ever agree with a car dealer about anything, but... we've driven the new Volkswagen GTI. Although we would have liked more power and a rear-wheel drive bias in the GTI, the R32, set to drop this August, will take care of our dual needs quite nicely. The ice cream sandwich's chance in hell of coming to America R36 would fill 'em in even more, um, nicely. Which forces us to admit that VW dealers might have a point. Seriously, the GTI and the Scirocco share the same Golf Rabbit platform and peppy 2.0-liter turbo engine. The only difference between the two is the body and the ride height. I mean, do we really want this thing? And if we do, why?

Related:
Come Again: Scirocco May Just Show Up in the States Afterall | Chicago Auto Show: US-Bound Volkswagen R32

Last week we shared with you the sad news that Volkswagen dealers whined loudly enough about potentially lost GTI sales to keep the Scirocco off of US soil. This week we're telling you, "not so fast." According to Motor Authorityby way of Autoweek Bossman Martin Winterkorn is flexing his VAG muscles and telling whiny dealers that he — not them — is the decider. And, depending on how he decides, the Scirocco might be here after next year's Geneva show. So, like, maybe. Though we have a feeling that Martin is more concerned about asserting his authority over the plebs than he is about delivering another hot hatch to us barbarians Americans. – Jonny Lieberman

Updated: US launch of VW Scirocco back on the table [motorauthority.com]

Related:
Volkswagen AG: No Scirocco for US! [Internal]

Bah. After all the loose talk over the past year, we now must report the Volkswagen Scirocco won't make it to the states after all. The Paris launch for the Iroc Concept should have tipped us that the company was planning a Euro blitz without corresponding US assault. According to Automotive News, Adrian Hallmark, EVP of Volkswagen of America Inc., said emphatically, "We don't want it." (Who's this we, white man?) Nonetheless, skeptics' assertions that that the Scirocco would never be allowed to cannibalize sales of the GTI were on the money; both cars are built from the Golf platform. Also, VW America isn't sold on the potential for coupes and hatchbacks in the US market. That'll teach us to let nostalgia get the better of our judgment. – Mike Spinelli

Related:
After the Iroc: Volkswagen Scirocco Coming in 2008 [internal]

As Volkswagen's Iroc concept was rolled out at the Paris show, execs demured when asked about a production model. It has "a good chance" of going into production, they said. Of course, we've been hearing about the coming production Scirocco for well on a year. Now, the UK's CAR reports the Scirocco revival will show up in dealerships in 2008, at a price of 17,500 (don't bother with the currency conversion; it doesn't correlate to US sticker — figure around $20,000). It'll be riding on the Eos cabrio's platform and sharing powerplants with the Rabbit and GTI. According to the report, there's also a 230-hp R20 version on the way, possibly by way of dual turbos, or VW's twincharger. [Gallery] – Mike Spinelli

Volkswagen Iroc [CAR]

Related:
More on the new VW Scirocco [internal]

Sorry about the long absence today, but the ubiquitous Internet, from our experience here in Paris, is more of a nice dream (like air conditioning). But we're back, and playing around with the new site. Did we mention we have a new gallery system? Let's try it out with Volkswagen's Iroc concept, which went live today before steaming crowds of automotive hackery and flackery. The concept hearkens a new Scirocco coupe, which the company says has "a good chance" of going into production. We'll take those odds.

Now, on to the gallery.

Related:
More on the VW Iroc Concept

The Volkswagen Iroc concept's a far cry from its Giugiaro-designed predecessor, the 1973 prototype for VW's 1976 Scirocco coupe. But it's nonetheless that car's modern equivalent. The first Scirocco was introduced at the Paris motor show in 1973, while the Iroc will trod the Parisian boards in 2006. The Iroc also shares some similarities with the Audi Shooting Brake concept, just as the production Scirocco will share underpinnings with the 2007 Audi TT. Powered by VW's 210-hp TSI "twincharger" engine (turbocharger + supercharger = twincharger) linked to the DSG direct-shift gearbox, the Iroc will spawn the long-awaited Scirocco, which will likely appear in showrooms in late 2008. More pics after the jump.

Related:
More on the VW Scirocco [internal]

Our compadres at Eurocar Blog got hold of a few scans from an unnamed Spanish magazine that's allegedly published photos of Volkswagen's Iroc Concept (no, not IROC, Tony, ScIROCco), which will inform the company's upcoming Scirocco coupe. As EcB points out, the concept in these shots looks like an elongated VW Golf, with a connection to VW's Ecoracer concept it showed in Tokyo. The real Iroc will debut at the Paris motor show next month. No T-tops on this Iroc, though — it looks like it'll have a panoramic sunroof.

Volkswagen Iroc Concept - first images [Eurocar Blog via AutoScoops]

Related:
Over the Back Fence: VW to Show IROC Concept in Paris; May Hearken New Scirocco [internal]

No, not the kind of IROC that once roamed the boulevards of Staten Island like great iron steeds dipped in a huge vat of Armor All. According to supposition from a board member of VW Vortex, Volkswagen will show a concept car called the IROC, for ScIROCco at the Paris Motorshow in September.

Word is, the front-engine, rear front-drive coupe will be a cross between the Eco-Racer concept the company showed in Tokyo last year with the Concept A coupe shown in Geneva this past March. The production model, which will be built in Portugal, will reportedly cost in the range of $24,000. No word on a US release.

Volkswagen to show "IROC" concept at the Paris Auto show [VW Vortex forum]

Related:
Volkswagen Reveals EcoRacer Concept for Tokyo Show; Geneva Premiere: Volkswagen's Concept A; More on the new Scirocco [internal]

One of the first beneficiaries of Audi's new, diesels-are-cool brand message — led by its R10 LeMans racer — will be the TT, says AutoWeek. The powerplant in question won't be one of the company's larger furnaces, like its 2.7- or 3.0-liter, which can't be shoehorned into the TT's engine bay. Instead, it'll be a 2.0-liter, common-rail four from Volkswagen. That motor will have to get a serious turbocharging, considering it currently tops out at 140 hp, and will likely be shared with the Scirocco, which, word is, will get a tuned diesel as well, when it debuts for the 2008 model year.

Audi hopes to cash in on success of R10 by offering diesel engine in TT [AutoWeek]

Related:
More on the Audi TT, new Scirocco

Get those SCCA memberships up to date, kids, VW's confirmed a new sport coupe is indeed on the way for the 2008 model year, and that it'll be built at the company's plant in Setubal, Portugal, Edmunds Inside Line, via Reuters, is reporting today. It took the company more than a year since the first rumors started swirling to admit building a successor to the Scirocco — last seen in the US in 1988. The news is nothing we haven't heard from German magazines over the past month or so, but sometimes it's nice to hear it from the source.

Report: VW Revives Scirocco [Edmunds]

Related:
More on the new "Scirocco" [internal]

Auto Motor und Sport brings a new round of speculative imagery (pictured) and some news on the upcoming Volkswagen Scirocco, including that it'll be introduced in 2008 for around 22,000 Euros (around $28,300), built at VW's Autoeuropa plant in Setubal, Portugal and use the Golf V platform for its bones. The coupe will likely fit between the Golf and the Eos in VW's line, which is expanding faster than a co-ed's wasteline during Oktoberfest.

VW Scirocco 2008 - more images and data [Eurocar Blog]

Related:
More on the new Scirocco [internal]

It looks awfully similar to a spec illustration of a reportedly new Audi A1 that ran recently in, among other outlets, the UK's Car magazine, but a spec image of how the next Volkswagen Scirocco could look appeared this week in Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. That image (above) differs from another spec proposed by AutoBild, which foresees the new model as having more in common with the Volkswagen EOS or the company's Concept R The boys at Eurocar Blog translate the reported specs, which include a base engine of VW's 1.4 TSI twin-charger mill.

VW Scirocco 2008 [Eurocar Blog]

Related:
More on VW's New Scirocco for 2008 [internal]

Laverty admits that this one ain't exactly rubbish. Harkening back to earlier days before traction control nannied us all into a sometimes-justified sense of security (how many times did we spin our '70 Skylark?), the second-gen Scirocco is one of our favorite '80s cars as well. While some prefer the Mk. 1 design that bowed in '74, we've always liked the looks of the 2nd Gen. It's kind of a poor man's Audi Coup .

Rubbish Cars We Love: Volkswagen Scirocco MK 2 - Little Cracker! [Hecklerpray]

Related:
Uno! Dos! One, Two, Tres Quattro! Hecklerspray on the Fiat Uno [Internal]

Those spec artists at Germany's AutoBild, usually fed information by industry spies, have posted several renderings of what Volkswagen's new "Scirocco" coupe (and new VW Cross Golf and Golf wagon) will look like (the same spec shots we reported last week had hit the paper edition). The possibly Portugal-built models are part of VW's broad line-expansion strategy to try to regain the US market they've all but relinquished of late. Those AB guys usually have the inside track, but we'll see in due time. Due = ~1 year. [Thanks to Stevo for the tip.]

AUTO BILD-Vorschau VW Scirocco (Computer-Zeichnung) [AutoBild]

Related:
Autobild Rocks the Scirocco Photos [internal]