EVO - VW Scirocco v BMW 123D v Mazda RX-8 v Volvo C30 T5

[Merc1]

Storm Chasers

The all-new Scirocco isn’t the only option if you want hot hatch practicality with a little more style, but are rivals like the revised Mazda RX-8, BMW 123d and Volvo C30 T5 as good to drive?


It may not be the most conventional opening gambit for a group test, but I’m going to front up with a confession. My first car was a VW Scirocco. Not the wedgy, bulbous-tailed mk2, but the pert, pretty mk1 – Giugiaro’s finest hour as far as I’m concerned. Mine was a gold 1980 1.6 GLi. I can still remember the reg number (CJO 635V), the mileage when I sold it (83,459), what I got for it (£350 – the front wings were totally rotten) and the promise I made myself that one day I’d own another Scirocco.

Never thought it could be a new one, though. But let’s face it, the resurrection of an old badge is nothing new. Retro sells and the original Scirocco was a popular car – somewhere north of half a million mk1’s were produced. And now, 16 years after the demise of the last Scirocco, and having been through a Corrado interlude, a new chapter begins.

It’s an important car this, because it has such a broad potential audience. It’s a hot hatch with a sense of style, a coupe with proper rear seats, a TT for less money and a natural stepping stone for those coming out of Minis. As VW’s back- catalogue proves, the compact coupe is hardly a new invention. Back in the day, all the big guns hunted here. The VW Corrado aimed its fire at the Nissan 200SX; the Vauxhall Calibra stalked the Ford Probe; even Rover got in on the act with the fearsome 150mph Tomcat.

Now, we don’t pretend to know what goes on in the boardrooms of Japan and Germany, but I’d be surprised if we don’t see this class making a concerted comeback in the next couple of years. Not that the Scirocco is going to be short on rivals when it arrives in September, anyway. And here they are. There’s the Mazda RX-8. It’s fresh from a facelift, called the R3 (your guess is as good as mine), and costs two grand more than before. Why? Did you not spot the body-coloured front bumper, side skirts and rear wing? Me neither. Luckily the bumf also talks of a ‘stiffer bodyshell, uprated suspension, lower gearing, enhanced dynamics, and new Recaro sports seats’. That’s more like it. We admired the original, and the limited edition PZ was better still, so there’s a fair chance this one might poop on the Scirocco’s party.


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VW Scirocco v BMW 123D v Mazda RX-8 v Volvo C30 T5 | Car Group Tests | Car Reviews | evo


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[Zafiro]

I'm longing to see the Scirrocco when it hit the dealers and of course I'll be driving it.
The exterior is beautiful but the interior is not my taste but it seem to be a great car to drive so in the end I'll probably like the car.

I've tried the 123d engine and I wasn't impressed, it pulls nice in high gears but the engine was a little but uninspiring.

And adaptive suspension, all cars should have it. Its a great thing to have, an adjustable chassi suspension.

 

[jack]

saw a scirocco today, i didn't like it on the pictures but its briliant in real life. making it wider and lower then the golf gives it an incredible amount of street presents, but i'm still not fond of the side profiles proportions.
put some nice OZ wheels on it and you have a winner.

 

[Cashmere]

whoa, whats the deal with the handbrake lever being sooooo far??

 

[Guibo]

whoa, whats the deal with the handbrake lever being sooooo far??

It's in the same place as LHD cars; looks like they never bothered to change it for the RHD conversion. Probably saves a little bit of money. Could come in "handy" when driving your lady friends around though. ("Oh, pardon me. I was going for the handbrake. Honest!")

I would probably go for the RX-8 in this group. I'd lose some of that body kit, however; the side skirts look really cheesy and aftermarket. Evo were a bit harsh in the mag about its interior ("The BMW's interior lacks sparkle but at least it doesn't look cheap and dated like the Mazda's").