Fellow Petrol Heads…

This special section of genius level is dedicated to those of us that appreciate not only the beauty, crisp body sculpture, speed and performance of vehicles but also the logical nature of their creation. Every Thursday we will feature different vehicles, reviewing their pros and cons, and giving our rating level as a genius level buy/ automotive artwork.

Initiate your mental cruise control and get seated comfortably as we go beyond the rev counter to keep you updated on the latest motoring news.

We kick-off this first edition with the smooth, classic and distinctive facelifted VW Scirocco range. This special hatchback has quickly climbed the ranks of one of the most desired street cruising hatchbacks in the market, armed with VW street cred, earned from the golf 1, Jumbo 8V, VR6, GTI, R-series, etc, it is no wonder why this German pocket rocket has become an instant favourite.

This latest facelift will feature a couple of engine modifications, that will not be available to the South African market, sadly even the beastier version of the new Scirocco R will not be sold in South Africa which features a new 2.0 TSI engine developing 206 Kw (same as the new Golf 7-R and Vauxhall Astra OPC), Whatever the reasons are for this, for the rest of the world this new monster could be a game changer. Depending on your affordability with your chosen level of extras and trim selection you can choose from the full model line-up below, to what best suits not only your pocket but your tastes aswell:

RSA Market: (All spec unchanged)

• 4 TSI (118KW/240Nm), 0-100 km 8.0 sec, Top Speed 218 Km/h, 6.6 lt/100 Km fuel consumption, Cost R 355 200
• 0 TSI (155Kw/280Nm), 0-100 Km 6.9 Sec, Top Speed 238 Km/h, 7.5 lt/100 Km fuel consumption, Cost R 419 100
• 0 TSI (155Kw/280Nm), 0-100 Km 6.9 Sec, Top Speed 238 Km/h, 7.5 lt/100 Km fuel consumption, Cost R 489 300

**Prices quoted above include 5 Year/ 90 000Km Service Plan and 3 Year/ 120 000 Km warranty.

International Market Release: (Pricing yet to be confirmed)

• 1.4 TSI: 92 kW / 125 PS (+ 3 PS); 5.4 l/100 km / 125 g/km CO2
• 2.0 TSI: 132 kW / 180 PS (+ 20 PS); 6.0 l/100 km / 139 g/km CO2
• 2.0 TSI: 162 kW / 220 PS (+ 10 PS); 6.0 l/100 km / 139 g/km CO2
• 2.0 TSI: 206 kW / 280 PS (+ 15 PS); 8.0 l/100 km / 187 g/km CO2
• 2.0 TDI: 110 kW / 150 PS (+ 10 PS); 4.1 l/100 km / 107 g/km CO2
• 2.0 TDI: 135 kW / 184 PS (+ 7 PS); 4.3 l/100 km / 111 g/km CO2

From a styling perspective, many would argue nothing much has changed, but for the true enthusiast’s, elements of the golf 7 echo throughout, even the interior features a steering wheel design directly from the Golf. The updated front bumper features lines and a grill outline similar to the golf 7 GTI, from the back the rear taillights have been redesigned to a more aggressive look that matches the subtle lines on the rear bumper to give a more sportier look, and of course let’s not forget the standard 17 inch light alloy rims (Long Beach), adapted from the Golf 7 GTI performance pack.

Truly a refinement of something already beautiful, but of course we offer a non BS review on all cars and from our side the pricing is bound to leave certain  people considering different options, at an entry price of R355 K / Approximately (USD)$ 32 K, the VW Golf Gti will probably be more appealing.

From our perspective this newly designed hatchback meets the basic outline of what we want to see in a modern, premium hatchback and has our vote of confidence with a 3.5 geniuslevel rating out of 5.

Article by Nqobosizwe Mthiyane

Comments

comments