Review

2016 Volkswagen Scirocco GTS driven: a blast from the past

Chris Knapman 14 July 2016 • 3:05pm

2016 VW Scirocco GTS driving front — The Scirocco GTS costs from £28,500

If you love the idea of buying a classic car but want none of the hassle that comes with running one, there are a few options to consider.

The Eagle E-type, a thoroughly updated version of the 1960s Jaguar, is one, or a Porsche 911 modified by Singer, another. Problem is, they still don’t beg to be used on a daily basis. Also, they cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, which might put some people off.

Cue Volkswagen with its Mk3 Scirocco. Amazingly, this four-seat coupé is based on a Golf that is two generations old. That’s like walking into an Apple store and being offered an iPhone 3 instead of whatever number we’re on this month. Clearly, in the chaos of the dieselgate scandal, VW simply forgot to stop Scirocco production.

2016 VW Scirocco GTS driving side — The Scirocco GTS gets from 0-62mph in 6.5sec

The result is akin to a modern classic VW that you can still buy brand new, with all the warranty and customer service this entails. Like any modern classic, it’s rather expensive; this latest GTS model costs £1,000 more than a Golf GTI, which makes no sense at all when the latter has eight years of development in its favour.

As a result, when you climb into the Scirocco (which remains a disarmingly handsome car), the dashboard materials are noticeably less plush than in a modern Golf, with more scratch than squish and some crude joins between the various hunks of plastic.

2016 VW Scirocco GTS interior — The Scirocco's interior looks dated

As you’d expect, they’ve updated the retro touchscreen with the latest software and connectivity, so it works brilliantly, and interior space remains impressive, with room for four adults and a decent boot, even if its loading lip is taller than Peter Crouch.

2016 VW Scirocco GTS rear seats — Two adults fit comfortably in the back of the Scirocco

The absolute best thing about the Scirocco though is the way it drives. The GTS uses the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine as the GTI, which roars its way through the revs, pulling hard from 2,000rpm and zinging up to its redline. Because its power is transmitted only through the front wheels, it can occasionally feel scruffy, and even with adaptive suspension the ride is as firm as an under-ripe peach. But that’s just, erm, peachy. Because this, remember, is a sports car, so it can get away with being more unruly than a hatchback, especially when you remember it comes from a time when being fast and fun mattered more than soft-touch dashboards and driverless tech.

2016 VW Scirocco GTS driving rear — The Scirocco is powered by the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine as the Golf GTI

Rationally, the Scirocco GTS’s case falls down partly because of its silly body decals, but also because it is too expensive bearing in mind second-hand examples without many miles can be bought for half the price and feel almost exactly the same.

Buying a GTS, then, would be an act of heart over head of the magnitude not seen since your teenage years. Which is precisely why you quite possibly should.