By: Dave Abrahams
Uitenhage - To some extent it's a (deliberate) optical illusion, but the revised, nipped-and-tucked 2015 Volkswagen Scirocco - released this week in South Africa - looks even lower, wider and more hunkered down on the road than its predecessor.
Walter Silva's 2008 version was just so right, it's hard to believe VW has managed to improve on it for this, the fourth iteration of its sexiest Golf-based offering - but it has, with sleeker head and tail lights, a revised front bumper with aerodynamic 'blades' in the outer section, like those on the latest-generation Golf GTI, and integrated indicators, daytime running lights and fog lights.
The new grille is even narrower, the gaping black air intake below it even bigger - so much so that there's no space for a badge on the grille and the Scirocco joins the latest Beetle and the XL1 study concept as the only three Volkswagens to wear their logo on their bonnet.
The rear end gets a completely new tailgate that uses the VW badge as a release for its lock, above a new bumper with full-width black diffuser to emphasise its horizontal planes. New, trapezoidal tail-light clusters taper towards the inside, extending further into the tailgate - and even the number-plate lighting is by LED.
The range-topping Scirocco R comes with bi-xenon headlights and built-in LED daytime running lights - an extra-cost option on the rest of the range - as well as matt-chromed side mirror housings, sill extensions, a bigger roof spoiler and black R-badged brake callipers.
The base model 1.4 TSI rolls on familiar 17” Long Beach rims but the 1.4TSI gets new 18” Lisboa alloys and the Scirroco R 19” Cadiz hoops.
NO CHANGE UNDER THE BONNET
The engine line-up for the SA market is unchanged: three direct-injection turbo-petrol fours, starting with the proven 118kW 1.4-litre TSI, coupled to a six-speed manual 'box and rated at 6.6 litres per 100km. 0-100 takes eight seconds flat, according to the maker, and top speed is 218km/h.
The 155kW 2.0 TSI Sportline, with 280Nm on tap from 1700-5200rpm, slurps a claimed 7.5 litres of unleaded per 100km, hits a hundred in just less than seven seconds and tops out at 238km/h, via a six-speed DSG paddle-shift.
The Scirocco R's 188kW 2.0 TSI and standard DSG transmission will launch it to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds, revving out at 6000rpm with 350Nm delivered from 2500-5000rpm. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h, as usual, and consumption is quoted at eight litres per 100km, in the nominal 'combined cycle'.
Sadly, South African-market Scirocco Rs will not be getting the new 206kW 2.0 TSI engine, as found in the Golf 7 R and also in some markets in the 2015 Scirocco R, but will, according to VWSA, retain the 188kW version from the previous R models.
STREAMLINED INTERIOR TRIM
The dashboard has been revised to feature a stronger horizontal plane on the passenger side, with three tubular-look instrument housings on the driver's side for the new-look instruments with aluminium bezels.
And, in a tribute to Giorgetto Giugiaro's 1974 original, there's now an auxiliary instrument cluster above the centre console, with a boost pressure gauge, a clock and and oil temperature gauge.
The air nozzle panels and the central panel around the audio system are now flush-mounted - more difficult to do because the lightest mismatch in the trim stands out like a sore thumb but very classy when you get it right.
There's a revised steering wheel, derived from the one on the current Golf GTI, a new storage compartment with a sliding cover close to the handbrake lever, and new upholstery fabric. Leather trim is, as ever, an option, with new colours to choose from.
The Scirocco R wears its badge proudly on the head restraints of its special sport seats with grey contrast stitching, decorative “faux fibre” inlays, aluminium sill plates and stainless-steel pedals.
PRICES
1.4 TSI 118kW Highline Manual - R355 200
2.0 TSI 155kW Sportline DSG - R419 100
2.0 TSI 188kW R DSG - R489 300
These include a three-year or 120 000km warranty and a five-year or 90 000km service plan; service intervals are15 000km.