Facts and figures
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ROC Climber
02.07.2008 |
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£20k coupés are rare, so does the new Scirocco have it easy? Not when a BMW is lurking for a few grand more. Matt Prior finds out if the VW can cope
The Scirocco, it is confirmed about 48 hours after I land in Portugal to drive it, costs from £20,940 and comes conspicuously well equipped with a 197bhp 2.0-litre engine. On 18-inch alloy wheels. With climate control. And DCC adaptive dampers. Nonetheless, I’m happy enough to be tailed by a UK-registered BMW 125i SE when I steer a Scirocco away from Lisbon airport bound for some good hillside roads near the Atlantic coast.
The BMW is £23,205 before options, which is within distance of the Volkswagen; with the DSG of our test car it weighs in at £22,270. Besides, what else is there? A Toyota Celica? Not any more. Volvo C30? It is no thriller to drive. Audi TT? Perhaps, but the rear seats are all but hopeless. Volkswagen has positioned the Scirocco rather neatly. Barring, rather ironically, the hot hatchback on which it’s based, the 125i is the closest thing that the new small coupé has to a genuine rival.
Mechanically, the way they go about things differs markedly, but the resulting numbers aren’t hugely dissimilar. The Scirocco is based on a Golf GTi platform and has a 2.0-litre, transversely mounted engine with front-wheel drive; it has 197bhp on tap and should complete the 0-62mph sprint in 7.1sec. The BMW (you would expect no different) has a longitudinally mounted straight six and is rear-wheel drive; it packs more power, at 215bhp, and because of its rear-drive traction it should get from 0-62mph in 6.4sec. Both cars also have four proper seats. But over the first few miles it’s the Scirocco that gets all the attention. The public are all over this car. Granted, that’s because it’s among the first on the road and, yes, I know it’s in the loudest colour we could find.
The BMW sounds better. It has a lovely engine – smooth, with super responses. Don’t be fooled by the ‘25’ on the bootlid, either, because it’s a 3.0-litre straight six and it loves revs. Peak power is developed at 6100rpm, but there’s every point to taking it to its 7000rpm redline. Do so and it feels quicker than the Scirocco – 0-62mph takes a claimed 6.4sec – but stay in the mid-range and it is similarly paced. At low revs the Scirocco’s turbocharged torque means it will pull away. And the 125i’s handling? Turn-in is just as sharp and the steering is very direct, though light and with little feel. But this SE model feels softer than the Volkswagen overall (I suspect the more expensive M Sport would be a bit different). The 125i’s initial roll rate is quicker, then it settles stably. It, too, nudges into understeer at first but can be adjusted with the gas. Which is more enjoyable? The Volkswagen, probably. It’s a close-run thing and the BMW is an amusing and sophisticated tool up to a point, but the Scirocco is ultimately that bit more engaging and rewarding. Inside, the tables are turned. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the Scirocco; it’s just that it’s a bit uninteresting. A result of getting a brand new car like this to market for less than £21,000, I suppose. It’s not the front seats that are the problem; they look great, as do the pair of nicely sculpted rears. The door trims are quite interesting, too. But there it stops. The centre console and dash are straight from the Eos and they’re on the dull side. The 1-series is similarly derivative inside, but its dash is more interesting. Its seats – front and rear – feel bigger too, although the Scirocco is marginally roomier in the back (two adults can sit behind each other in both). And there is no excuse for the BMW’s fiddly front-seat adjustment for height and back angle. The Scirocco has an easy ratchet or rotary knob for each. The BMW counters with a boot that’s longer and has a wider opening. The Scirocco’s has some hatchback versatility, but the sill is high and the tailgate small. Fit and finish in both cockpits are comparatively excellent, but it’s the feel of the BMW’s switchgear that shades the Volkswagen’s. There are a number of reasons why the 125i could beat the Scirocco here. It has the nicer engine, more finesse to its drivetrain and greater attention to detail has been paid to its cabin.
