- With 265 horsepower, the R is without question the most powerful version of the Scirocco family.
The latest Volkswagen Scirocco debuted this morning at the starting line of the Nürburgring 24-hour race in Germany. The Scirocco R is immodestly called “a sports car without compromise,” a contention that will be tested by the race.
Nevertheless, R is without question the most powerful version of the Scirocco family, with its four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.0-liter TSI engine rated at 195 kW or 261 horsepower and 350 Nm or 258 pound-feet of torque.
A six speed transaxle, or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, sends this impressive output toward the wheels. And an electronically-controlled differential, allegedly, keeps the front-wheel-drive pocket rocket pointed in the direction the driver wants even with all that torque. An electronically-controlled suspension also helps provide some additional stability.
The hottest Scirocco ever appears about a year after the debut of the third generation Scirocco, which is something of a cult car in Europe. In keeping with recent VW marketing practices, the third generation Scirocco isn’t available in the U.S. — even though the first two generations were here. With the Golf GTI coming and then a likely R version, it likely will never be here legally, but some creative types will no doubt find a way to get some in. (Do not attempt this in your home state.)
- GT24 of Carlos Sainz, Dieter Depping, Wolfgang Kaufmann and Patrick Simon
The Scirocco R is largely derived from the Scirocco GT24, which was designed for motor sports with the halo marketing of the more staid Scirocco line as a primary goal. Naturally there are large air intake openings in the front bumper, which helps with the cooling for the engine and the brakes, and an integrated front spoiler, as well as bi-xenon headlights.
At the back, the roof-edge spoiler is much larger than on the basic Scirocco. The dual chrome tailpipes are the traditional performance styling cue, and in this case they reflect an actual dual-pipe exhaust system. The 18-inch alloy wheels called “Talladega” with fat P235/40 tires complete the package. (I guess the Alabama NASCAR track has more marketing cachet in Europe than the Nürburgring?)
Volkswagen says it will demonstrate the potential of the new Scirocco R during the 24-hour race this weekend with a racing version or rather five racing versions. Driver teams include Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the Volkswagen board of management for technical development, the world rally champion Carlos Sainz, as well as this year’s Dakar winner Giniel de Villiers.