It's hard to keep anything secret these days, especially when the Internet  | | The Scirocco is built on the same platform as the Eos - it's nearly as wide as a Passat, but more like the Rabbit in length. (Photo: Volkswagen) | allows information, and more importantly images to flow freely across borders, time zones and oceans. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Volkswagen's new Scirocco sports coupe was old news by the time the covers came off the car in Geneva earlier this week.
The original IROC concept, released in 2006, was a favorite amongst enthusiasts that year, and the Scirocco is the production version of this car. However, a lot has changed over the course of two years. The wedgy front end and glowing blue space invaders interior have been toned down heavily, although the coupe's low-slung stance remains and the three quarter rear view should instantly pull memories of that concept. What is interesting is that the Scirocco breaks away from the chrome-surrounded grille that's been popularized by the Golf, Passat and just about every other VW product in the past couple of years. This gives it a unique, fresh look that's surprisingly not very Volkswagen-like.
The interior, on the other hand, is unmistakably Volkswagen. It's the same cabin that you'll find in a GTI, Jetta or Eos, and contains the GTI's wonderful, chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel. Because the Scirocco is pitching to a | | If you had a Scirocco as a teenager, this new much more luxurious version targets your current lifestyle. (Photo: Volkswagen) | slightly older and slightly wealthier audience, it features sophisticated stitched leather buckets similar to those in the new Passat CC. The Scirocco is also a four-seater, rather than a five-seater, and has mesh-covered holes in the rear head rests to aid in rearward visibility. Powertrain options will include the latest generation TSI gasoline direct injection engines, and TDI turbodiesels.
With a starting MSRP in Germany of 21,750 euros, the Scirocco has now officially a production car, and not surprisingly as with most of the attractive, functional and sporty hatchbacks in the world today, this one is Europe-only for now. However, were it sold here it could be a credible competitor to Volvo's attractive, functional and sporty C30.
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