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2015 Volkswagen Scirocco GTS

Comeback of a GT icon: World premiere of the 220 PS Scirocco GTS in Shanghai

• Exclusive GTS trim with new 18-inch alloy wheels

• Scirocco GTS* has a new generation of infotainment equipment on board as standard

Some cars live for ever because they are constantly reinvented. The Scirocco, a pure-bred European sports car, is one of these cars that is forever young. Presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 41 years ago, it became an icon of compact German coupés. The car caught the spirit of the age: over a million units of the Scirocco have been produced since then. Last summer a comprehensively refined generation of the sports car was launched, featuring, among other things, a completely new range of engines. Building on this, Volkswagen unveils the new Scirocco GTS – a sports car with 162 kW / 220 PS – in a world premiere at Auto Shanghai. Its engine is one of the most popular in the Scirocco range because it is sharing its design genes with the engine of the Golf GTI. A turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine that is recognised as being one of the most agile four-cylinder engines in the world. It catapults the Scirocco GTS – either with a manual gearbox or with the 6-speed DSG – to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. Top speed: 246 km/h (DSG: 244 km/h). The average fuel consumption shows just how efficient the engine of the Scirocco is: just 6.1 l/100 km with a manual gearbox and similarly economical at 6.4 l/100 km with a DSG gearbox.

A legendary predecessor

The first GTS was launched in 1982. There has been a Scirocco GTS before, in 1982, and that coupé was also related to the Golf GTI of its time, both technically and visually. The Scirocco was recognisable by a strikingly designed GTS stripe (which ran all round the silhouette of the car just above the sill), its distinctive sport seats and a gear knob in golf ball design. The GTI had the same sport seats (with different upholstery) and the golf ball gear knob. Today, the situation is similar. The new Scirocco GTS will be launched in Europe at the end of May, with China following in the summer. This marks the comeback of an icon, a straight-forward, mighty fast and exclusively-equipped sports car.

GTS exterior

New 18-inch wheels. The Scirocco GTS will be equipped as standard with new 18-inch 'Norwich' alloy wheels; the popular 19-inch 'Lugano' alloy wheels will be available as an option. The red brake callipers of the GTS can be seen through the spokes of both of these wheel options. In addition, the Scirocco GTS comes with the R-Line package 'Exterieur' as standard, which includes distinctive R-style bumpers (at the front with integrated fog lamps and glossy black radiator and air inlet grilles), custom side sill extensions, a roof spoiler (also R-style) and a diffuser. The wing mirror caps are painted in stylish black and, just like its predecessor, the '82 Scirocco GTS, the new model can be ordered with a sporty GTS decal for the body as an option (standard in China). This option features two decorative red stripes that run centrally from the bonnet over the roof and the boot (if the car is painted in 'Flash Red' the stripes are black). The new Scirocco is also enhanced by 3D GTS logos in the radiator grille and on the tailgate. The Scirocco GTS can be ordered in six colours: 'Deep Black', 'Indium Grey', 'Urano Grey', 'Pure White', 'Oryx White' and, as already mentioned, 'Flash Red'.

GTS interior

Black and red. The interior of the Scirocco GTS is also customised, of course, and dominated by the sporty colours black and red. The customisation includes:

• Black headliner

• Decorative inlays in 'Piano Black Lacquer ' in the centre console and the applications on the dashboard

• GTS badges on the sill panel mouldings

• Customised sports steering wheel with red seams and the lower spoke finished in 'Black Piano Lacquer' (with the GTS logo)

• Pedals in stainless steel

• Seat covers with centre panels made of a new material (with the GTS logo at the top of the backrest) and red decorative stitching

• GTS package also includes the legendary golf ball gear knob

• Chrome trim package (for the wing mirror and electric window switches)

• Air vents and inside door handles in 'Black Piano Lacquer'

• Contrasting red seams for the safety belts, the handbrake lever, the gear lever gaiter, the central armrest and the floor mats

Modular infotainment matrix (MIB). Also included as standard: The 'Composition Colour' infotainment system, available for the first time in the Scirocco. This marks the debut of the second generation of the modular infotainment matrix (MIB II) in this series of sports cars.

Tailor-made customisation. As an option, the Scirocco GTS can also be ordered with black 'Vienna' leather upholstery; here again the seats are customised with decorative red seams. Volkswagen also offers features such as the transparent panoramic tilt sunroof, bi-xenon headlights, a multifunction steering wheel and – as previously mentioned – the new MIB II radio navigation systems. In China the leather interior and the panoramic tilt sunroof come as standard.

*Fuel consumption Scirocco GTS in l/100 km: 6.1 (combined); CO2 emissions in g/km: 142 (combined); efficiency class: C (estimated values)

by Volkswagen

by Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Scirocco was produced from 1974 through 1992. Though production lasted until 1992, the United States stopped receiving the vehicle in 1988 and Canada followed a year later. Germany ceased production in 1992. A concept has been shown at the 2006 Paris Auto Show, dubbed the Iroc (scIROCco). The Scirocco was used as a replacement for the Karmann Ghia; internally, the Scirocco was known as the Type 53. The production version was ready for Europe in 1974 and North America in 1975.

The Volkswagen Scirocco A1 chassis shared its platform with the Golf and Jetta, a cost saving move for the company. It was powered by a variety of four-cylinder engines from 1.1 to 1.6 liters in size. All had single-overhead camshafts and a total of eight valves. The Giorgetto Giugiaro styled body was sporty and attractive, which complimented the vehiciles sporty characteristics rather nicely.

The Volkswagen Scirocco MKII was introduced in 1982. The base engine was now a 1.3 liter engine with the optional 1.8 liter, double overhead camshaft engine greatly improved performance. In Europe, a 16V 2.0 liter engine that produced nearly 140 horsepower was available on the MKII. The MKII sat on the MKI's same platform. By 1984, the Scirocco received an cosmetic update as well as a slew of interior amenities such as power windows and mirrors, air conditioning, manual sunroof, and leather.

by Dan Vaughan

Introduced in 1974, the Scirocco was considered to be the replacement for the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. The two cars, though, were worlds apart. The Karmann Ghia was underpowered, with an uninspired, ancient air-cooled flat four slung behind the rear axle. It was based off the simple Beetle's running gear, but at least had swoopy, Italian-bred styling by Ghia. It sounded like the polar opposite of the Scirocco, which had taut, straight lines and a relatively lively, water-cooled power plant. How, then, was the Scirocco considered a relative, let alone the replacement, of the Karmann Ghia?

Sure enough, the Scirocco followed right behind the Karmann Ghia‘s production, which ended in 1974. There is a much greater connection, though. To see it, we must consider Volkswagen's bread-and-butter cars during both the Karmann Ghia and the Scirocco's most prosperous years.

The Karmann Ghia, introduced in 1955, came about when the Beetle was still a remarkable car. The Bug was sturdy, reliable, and full of thoughtful design features absent in other cheap cars. By creating the Karmann Ghia, Volkswagen made a charming, if slow, sports car with reliability built in to a stylish package.

The Scirocco followed word for word the formula used by the Karmann Ghia. When the Scirocco made its debut, though the undying Bug was still around, the Golf was Volkswagen's real interest. That car was set up to phase out the old-fashioned Beetle with a modern, water-cooled machine that was just as sturdy and reliable as a Volkswagen should be. The Golf, though, was also as boring as a Volkswagen should be. So Volkswagen contracted Giugiaro, like Ghia a famous Italian designer, to add some life to a rugged platform.

Thus the Scirocco was born, a modern version of the Karmann Ghia featuring a sporty body resting over a dependable structure. That body was a hit, too. A product of the 1970's, it lacked the curvy charisma of the Karmann Ghia. Its wedge shape was fashionable for the time, though, and Giugiaro's skilled touch was evident. The car's creases had a modern Italian flair about them, and the racier lines were surprisingly practical. The new VW featured a hatchback and back seat offering about the same amount of room as the space-effective Golf upon which it was based.

By December of 1981, a second generation Scirocco was available. Its face-lifted styling was carefully executed in-house by Volkswagen. This second generation model featured water-cooled straight fours producing from 75-110hp out of the same 1.5 and 1.6 liter displacements of the first generation vehicles.

The desirability of a reliable German with sporty style was proved by the Scirocco's long production run. It lasted all the way until 1992, completing an 18 year stint remarkably similar to the Karmann Ghia's 19 years of production. To some, the Scirocco and Karmann Ghia will always be wolves in sheep's clothing, little more than dressed-up family cars. These Volkswagens, though, deserve much more credit than that. The Scirocco buyer received not just a practical, modern hatchback with sturdy construction, but also a sleek and carefully-crafted design guaranteed to age with more grace than others in its price range. That synergy of style and solidity was an impressive feat.

The site http://www.sciroccoregister.co.uk/ was used in the making of this writing.

by Evan Acuña