VW Scirocco blows into SA

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First impressions of the Scirocco are good, the styling is definitely a plus from the generally quite conservative VWs we are used to, it holds a more aggressive pose and sits a little lower and wider at the back. The front grille VW say will be the future of their product line, changing from the large 'honeycomb' look seen most prominently on the Polo and Golf.

The Scirocco will initially only be sold here with the DSG gearbox, with a manual gearbox making an appearance in the third quarter of the year. The only other motor option the Scirocco will be available in is the 118kW, 240Nm 1.4TSI, which makes use of VW's supercharger and turbocharger combination, but again that will only be available in the third quarter of 2009.

When driven, the car is very planted. Giving a controlled feeling, steering is actually quite heavy but gives great feedback from the wheels while the rear track (marginally wider than the Golf GTi) adds to the impressive stability and grip this car has in the corners.

Much of that also has to do with the superb tyres that provide ample grip, increasing your confidence as you head into the bends. They are pretty low profile though, (235/40R18) so the ride can be fairly harsh at times, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a car claiming to be a sports car.

The only problem for the Scirocco is where does it go from here? Will it pull all the GTi drivers, or will they simply hold out for the soon-to-be-released Golf VI ? and in particular the GTi ? which will seemingly void the purpose of buying a Scirocco altogether.