Car Lust--Volkswagen Scirocco Mk. I
I've discussed the 1970s "Super Coupes" phenomenon in this space before in my Ford Capri Car Lust post, but to quickly recap, the "Super Coupes" were the first, vestigial evolution of inexpensive sport coupes from their humble economy car origins. Cars like the Ford Probe, Mazda MX-6, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Acura Integra, and Acura RSX are the spiritual successors to the original Super Coupes of the early 1970s.
The very first Super Coupes were a pretty motley bunch. The class was initially made up of lightly made-over Ford Pintos and Chevrolet Vegas, in addition to the very first Toyota Celicas and relative thoroughbreds such as the Capri, the Opel Manta, and Mazda RX-3. There are times, though, when a car enters a class and instantly raises the bar, making its competitors look thoroughly antiquated and raising customer expectations for the whole class.
Such was the case when the first Volkswagen Scirocco joined the party. With elegant, crisp lines penned by Italian master stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro and better-composed hardware than that offered by the half-hearted semi-economy cars in the class the Scirocco was an instant classic upon its debut.
The Scirocco weighed less than 2,000 pounds; for context, a 2008 Toyota Corolla weighs 2,800 pounds. Because of that, the Scirocco was still moderately fast for the time despite having only a 1.6-liter, 76-horsepower engine for motivation. The Scirocco's lifespan corresponded with the highly entertaining era between 1975 and 1985 when manufacturers routinely advertised 0-50 times because the lower numbers sounded better. But even during this time, the Scirocco's 10.5 0-60 time was nothing to sneeze at.
No, the Scirocco didn't have much power--an oversight not rectified until the Mk. II Scirocco received a 16-valve head a decade later--but its sweet handling, light weight, and style to die for gave it the visceral edge missing from its competitors.
The Scirocco, its eponymous successor, and the Corrado all lived on and helped define the sports coupe market, but the line has always been undermined by the appearance of its class-defining sibling and mechanical cousin, the hot-hatchback Volkswagen GTI. The GTI lives on today; the Scirocco/Corrado died nearly a decade ago. Unfortunately, there's no sign yet that the brand new European-market Scirocco will make it to the US.
The original Scirocco was a truly revolutionary car when it debuted and is still the purest, lightest, and, in my opinion, best-looking of the Super Coupes bunch. If given a choice between a mint-condition Scirocco or Capri at an equal price, I would have a tough decision on my hands. At the end of the day, though, I think I'd have to go with the Scirocco.
I love the two commercials below, one from 1979 and one from 1980. The video quality is a bit dodgy, but you can definitely feel Volkswagen trying to emphasize the fact that the Scirocco isn't just another Volkswagen economy car. I don't remember the "Volkswagen Does It Again" ad tag line, but I'm sure there are some around here who do.
The two photos of the gorgeous yellow Scirocco came from Scirocco.org; the print ad came from AdClassix.com.
--Chris H.
Rob the SVX guy on April 06, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Wow that Historian guy sure is an idiot. I hope he doesn't live in the "Slaughter the indians" united states of America, how could he live with himself? What a tard.
Nathan on April 07, 2008 at 01:25 AM
This blog has always been about cars. That's the way it should be.
The cars didn't slaughter anyone, and the VW of the 1970s had no connection with Hitler other than a name. Our enemies became our friends after we beat them, and now they sell their cars to us.
There's nothing wrong with that, and there is no such thing as inherited guilt.
Let's get back to talking about cars.
(there's always gotta be someone who ruins it for everyone else, eh?)
OldCarGuy on April 07, 2008 at 10:09 AM
How appropriate – my first post here is about one of the objects of my earliest car lust! While 16 years old and driving the family 2nd car (a ’74 Capri 4-banger), my friend was driving his Dad’s Scirocco, and I was hard in lust with it. When I turned 18 I tried to buy a used one, but it seemed that every one I found had been wrecked or driven very hard, or both. Such seemed to be the case with a lot of the early sport coupes. Our Capri was no exception. ;-) I never got my own Scirocco.
BTW, I look forward to a carlustblog on the Opel Manta. My brother owned one, and I thought it was more reliable and well-built than our beloved Capri.
Chris Hafner on April 07, 2008 at 10:12 AM
OldCarGuy: "BTW, I look forward to a carlustblog on the Opel Manta."
You've read my mind! I have three favorite Super Coupes--the Capri, the Scirocco, and the Manta. The Manta will be along before too long.
Alaska Jack on April 07, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Chris Hafner wrote: :Happily, my Car Lust from the previous day, the Anglo-American hybrid super-sedan Lotus Carlton..."
So, you ADMIT to being a sympathizer for and collaborator with the filthy Redcoats?!?! The blood of countless true American patriots who died at Lexington, Yorktown and Bunker Hill stains your traitorous hands, sir. How do you live with yourself?
- Alaska Jack
Chris Hafner on April 07, 2008 at 04:11 PM
Alaska Jack: "So, you ADMIT to being a sympathizer for and collaborator with the filthy Redcoats?!?!"
I've been hoisted by my own petard. Well done, sir.
Mark Plantenberg on June 17, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Ah Yes! Best car by far I ever owned. In short, I bought a '76 Scirocco in the early 80's with about 60k miles on it for $2200. I had it for several pain-free years and sold it finally with 325k plus miles on it for $2500! I raced the little car everywhere. I was in no way easy on it. I didn't thash it mind you...just drove it hard. It loved it!!! Mine had the little 1471cc engine. I put a little Weber caborator on it and it ran flawlessly. I added some nice KYB struts and stiff role bar and it handled amazingly well. I have to say that nothing beat me in the corners! All this and it averaged 30mpg. I only wish it had a 5 spd as the later models. I would buy a 1980 model in good shape today if a nice one came up!
Thanks for the article. It definitely brings back great memories.
rebecaosorio on August 29, 2008 at 12:45 PM
The scirocco remains one of my all time favorites. I have a european scirocco 2 now with the 110hp 1.6 but I really wanted a scirocco 1 to enjoy my 30s with by getting back to simple basic FUN.
Evan Evans on December 05, 2008 at 01:57 PM
Click on this link http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=45943967
Evan Evans on December 05, 2008 at 02:12 PM
Click on this link too.I took third in a hundred dollar car at aa quarter mile track. Just built a race car stripped and roll bar welded in and seat . Paint is done (white)Roll bars will be wrapped with foam rolls of red , cut the shifter way low, repaired the leaking brake fluid lines underneath the front floors.Opened up the exhuast to a large flowing empty embodiedment exhaust. Sounds real great. been racing her around here in the dirt , its a blast . Oh by the way this is the first car built in 1979 and is a jack Rabbit . I will be hitting the track this May !! The 39 Hornet ! http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=46870743
Evan Evans on December 13, 2008 at 08:56 AM
This is me practicing in my issuzu , can you imagine me double cluthing in the corners with my MK1 ? This May I will post videos of how she does racing against Hondas , and toyotas e.t.c. Click on this link ! ..http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=45943967
Bob Santosuosso on April 01, 2009 at 02:07 PM
I had a 78 Scirocco I bought used in 1983. I was a blast to drive. The braking was amazing and it cornered like a go-kart. By the time I owned it I tended to spend a lot of time in the shop and finally the wheels literally fell off the car when it rusted out. But I was a fun three years!
Christopher on June 13, 2009 at 11:05 PM
A1 Rabbits, Jettas and Sciroccos are all the same underneath. If you peel up the trunk mat, you can see the seam where the Rabbit floopan ends and the "fanny pack" begins in a Jetta, and you can put any GTI suspension or engine parts you like on a similar-year Scirocco, and they will fit and work. The A1 cars are the BEST, and a thriving aftermarket still exists for their parts.
Mark on August 26, 2009 at 09:31 AM
The Isuzu Impulse was not Mr. G's Scirocco design, you can see his proposed design on my page:
http://www.scirocco2.de/mark.htm
What the USA never saw, was the Scirocco GTi, which debuted in 1976 in Europe. It was fast (110hp vs 70 something for the various engines in U.S. Scirocco 1s). Sadly, VW didn't give the U.S. a performance Scirocco until the Scirocco 16V (1986).
Julie on August 26, 2009 at 07:03 PM
I own one right now. I've driven newer cars, but this car has the raw power, quick handling and amazing looks that I like.
I get a lot of compliments and looks in the car, possibly fond memories of their own.
Thanks for printing this.
Julie of Scirocco.org.
Dave on December 07, 2010 at 11:38 PM
Late to the party, but I loved, loved, LOVED my 1980 VW Scirocco. It was my first car, and we all know how first love goes(actually, my first car was a 1972 Volvo 142s, with a factory sticker on the back window that said "Air Conditioned BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Dad gave me the option of driving the Scirocco if I got my grades up. They came up fast.). I replaced it with an '81. My sister got an '82, new body style, and wrecked it in Boston. 2 of my friends at the time had GTIs, and oh how we went back and forth! I called my car "The Snail", and when people asked my why I called a sporty car "The Snail", I would reply that when I zipped by, people would say "Look at that S-car go!(I have a penchant for bad puns, just ask my long suffering wife)". This is the car that started my life long love affair with VWs, to this day I drive a '97 Cabrio and an '05 Passat wagon. Except for the wagon, I never owned a VW that didn't go 200K miles +(yet). Even today, I still toy with the idea of buying a good used Corrado, but it just wouldn't fit in my day-to-day life. If I ever pulled the trigger on my leftover teenage car lust, it would probably be to buy an old Scirocco, some impulses never die.