Taking to the road in a Volkswagen Scirocco R is always going to be a fine experience. The letter R gives it away. Maybe the R could stand for Racy or Rocket because the Turbo 4-cylinder engine is a blissful flyer.

What are the cars that the new Volkswagen Scirocco R has to compete with? Actually, you might even find that within VW, the Golf R is a Scirocco R rival. Until you realize that the Scirocco R is 125 kg lighter than the Golf R, and that it feels sharper and quicker on the road, do you note that the two-door Scirocco R is actually very quick. I love the low profile styling and the aerodynamic lines. A Volvo C30 T5 R-Design is always going to be a striking rival. In the same mould as the Scirocco R, the smallest Volvo looks the goods. For out and out pace, the more powerful VW engine wins here. How about a Renault Megane? I’ll leave the decision to you because both cars feel as quick on any given day. And I know that some of you are going to like the bolder Megane styling. For me, I’ll take the Scirocco R.

Volkswagen, for years, has been an excellent finisher. When you step inside the impeccable Scirocco R interior you find that the textures and materials are as good as they look. Fit and finish is of a premium level, and it’s these sorts of things which last the test of time. The Volkswagen Scirocco R is beautiful inside and out. Triangular door handles, a black gloss detailing on the centre console, ‘Silver Lane’ decorative trim for the instrument panel surrounds and distinctive aluminium pedals really provide you with a cabin that provides the perfect blend of class and flare. Aluminium door sills, ‘R’ logos on the steering wheel and front head restraints, and a chrome-plated gear knob with DSG lettering etched into the top of the DSG model never lets you forget that the driving power within is fully pumped.

Your favourite driving position is easily found with the electronic driver seat. You are seated in the Scirocco R seats, not on. The Scirocco R’s performance potential means that the addition of strong side bolsters for fast cornering and ergonomic perfection means that the driving experience can be enjoyed for hours-on-end. The Volkswagen Scirocco R is a true coupe with four individual seats, including open rear head restraints. ‘Kylami’ black cloth with accents of ‘San Remo’ grey microfibre and finished with contrasting grey stitching makes the seats look an awesome package, indeed.

At the heart of the sculptured dash is a 6.5-inch touch screen that boasts multi-function entertainment. A six-disc in-dash CD changer and auxiliary input are standard, as well as Bluetooth phone connectivity. An optional upgrade will get you the Satellite Navigation System with the high resolution touch screen display. This package is 3D and offers voice control for the telephone, navigation and radio functions. The system also includes an integrated 30GB hard drive for music and navigation data storage, SD card slot and single DVD drive for audio/ MP3 playback. Now that’s technologically savvy!

To really make the journey full of smiles, you can sit back and relax in all your favourite music via the Dynaudio Excite premium audio system. This system boasts 300 Watts, a digital amplifier and eight speakers. Save a few pennies and the standard audio system should be grunty enough.

Under the elegant Volkswagen Scirocco R lies a potent Turbo 4 engine that puts out a very responsive 188 kW of energy. Freely accessible at any time, the motor is willing and strong and can fizz along effortlessly. With 330 Nm of torque on tap, performance is very sharp. In fact, your sprint time from 0 to 100 km/h can be completed in six seconds flat. A six-speed DSG and manual six-speed gearbox are the two ways of linking the power to the front wheels. Accurate steering and thrilling road holding make the Volkswagen Scirocco R one of the best FWD cars money can buy.

Priced under 50k, the Volkswagen Scirocco R is a mean buy! You’ll love the gorgeous looks and relish the sporty drive.

The current Volkswagen Scirocco R models include the:

• Scirocco R (manual)
• Scirocco R (DSG)

For any more information on the Volkswagen Scirocco R models or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Volkswagen dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

Back to Volkswagen Car Reviews