Scirocco strikes oil

By Charlotte Blight

08th May 2009

This thrifty new Scirocco is as hot as the original, but now has a wallet-friendly diesel engine under the bonnet.

The GT TDI version of the coupé is powered by the same 168bhp 2.0-litre oil-burner as VW’s latest Golf GTD, and covers 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds. Yet it returns 53.3mpg – which means a range of nearly 600 miles from its 50-litre tank and makes the petrol Scirocco look thirsty with its 37.2mpg figure. Inside, exclusive GT trim includes a six-CD autochanger, rain and light sensors, a multifunction on-board computer and two-zone air-conditioning.

To beef up the styling on the outside, buyers can specify optional 19-inch Lugano alloys, while safety features such as anti-lock brakes, six airbags and an ESP stability system are fitted as standard.

The GT also benefits from Adaptive Chassis Control, which gives owners a choice of settings for the suspension and the steering responses, so they can tailor both to suit their driving style and the road conditions. The diesel engine can be mated to a conventional manual gearbox or a twin-clutch DSG sequential set-up, both offering six ratios. The manual car promises a top speed of 138mph and emits 130g/km of CO2, while the DSG has figures of 136mph and 147g/km. Both can be ordered now, with prices from £21,755 and £23,060 respectively.