Green and Bear It : VW Scirocco 2.0TSI DSG

Green seems to be the theme for the past few posts. Thankfully for a change, in the case of the VW Scirocco, it's only 'green' in terms of its luminous Viper Green hue, as opposed to being yet another car for the tree-hugging brigade - not that there's anything wrong with 'going green' of course, lest thin-skinned readers start taking things the wrong way.



The 3rd generation 'rocco is a sexy beast, with the new Golf's slit eyed gaze and a curvaceous rump-end that promises much to the wildly imaginative. The edgy 2+2 comes from a long line of 'sporthatch-coupes' that began with the first and second generation Scirocco, which later evolved into the Corrado.

As much as the new model is visibly a hatchback, opinion was polarised over the true characters of the earlier cars, which boasted distinctive 'hatchback-coupe' silhouettes, especially during the era of the Corrado.



Shod in the turbine-shaped 18-inch alloys (finished in sterling silver, no less, for that added 'bling' factor), the 'rocco cuts a sexy, no-nonsense stance, also well-accentuated by its muscular rear haunches, which certainly gives it a strong presence on the roads.



Unlike Porsche 911 GT3 RS Viper Green, the 'rocco's shade is near fluorescent and shows up hints of yellow, green and gold, depending on the viewing angle. Of course, an added complication now is colour matching by lesser paint-shops in the event of minor scrapes, since this is a colour that will require skill to mix and apply for it to blend perfectly.



Despite its seemingly compact proportions, the car will happily carry 4 adults with ease; the boot will accommodate shopping packages and grocery bags as well - although it is deep, the loading point is rather high due to the tail-gate design.



Inside the cabin, the seats are supportive for fast road use and the 'flat-bottomed' sports steering wheel is ribbed for the enthusiast's driving pleasure. Like the Golf GTI, the 'rocco is served by VW's 6-speed DSG transmission (with accompanying steering wheel mounted shift-paddles).



A similar turbocharged 2L powerplant powers the Scirocco and is mated to the quick-shifting DSG for explosive effect. There's no doubt that these cars (Golf GTI and 'Rocco 2.0 TSI) are effortless to drive quickly under normal traffic conditions. Prod the gas pedal and the car rockets away off the line with a slight chirrup from the 18-inch Pirelli PZero Rosso rubbers.





In fact, with the DSG's close-ratios under brisk acceleration, 100km/h seems to come up very quickly on the white-illuminated instruments (much quicker than the 7.1 seconds might otherwise suggest). Like the GTI, the Scirocco proves to be a tough customer when it comes to driving at a more relaxed pace.

On the move, the forced-induced punch hits hard in the low to mid-range with scarcely any turbo-lag to speak of. Despite the road noise at highway speeds, the 'rocco presents itself as a decent daily driver (as an alternative to the ubiquitous Golf GTI, although the Mk 6 GTI now gives +10bhp) for motorists who appreciate the prodigious thrust of a turbocharged engine yet want the refinement (and perceived prestige?) of an edgy continental marque.



There are 3 suspension modes to pick from: Sport, Comfort and erm, Normal. In Sport, the ride was never unbearable so we left it in that mode for most of our time with the car. The steering is meaty, yet communicative and the brakes forceful and easy to modulate.



Unlike the Golf VI GTI, the 'rocco doesn't have a LSD to really help a front-driver cope with the corners, but even then, grip levels are decent but you need to let the front end dig in before attempting to pile on the power; prodding the gas pedal any earlier is just wasted effort - thankfully the 'rocco punches hard down the straights.

Priced just under S$130k (1.4L comes in at approx. $97k), the Scirocco isn't a cheap proposition, but then again, it's sometimes difficult to put a price on 'coolness' and all in all, at least the 'Rocco presents a refreshing change from the many variants of the Golf and kawaii MINI, even though the latter car is still an appealing proposition to many buyers.

If the Scirocco 2.0TSI isn't 'hard' enough for you, the fire-breathing 265bhp R variant is expected to arrive in Q1 2010. Now that Loco 'Rocco (on a side note, check out: http://www.locoroco.com/pc/index.php) should prove to be a real live wire.





Fast Facts : VW Scirocco 2.0 TSI (DSG)
Engine: 1984cc, 16-valves, in-line 4, turbocharged FSI
Maximum power: 200bhp at 5100-6000rpm
Maximum torque: 280Nm at 1700-5000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed DSG
0-100km/h: 7.1 seconds
Top Speed: 233km/h
LxBxH: 4256 x 1810 x 1856 mm
Wheelbase: 2578mm
Kerbweight: 1318kg
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore
Price: approx. S$129k

French Fried : Renault R27 Clio

haha, yes it's the abbreviated form of the name.

Been a long time since i've posted cos real work is keeping me too busy!

So... surprise surprise, only the more interesting cars of this past month will be included.

I've personally always had a soft spot for hot hatches... in particular French ones, especially after all the fun i had in this one:



I didnt particularly enjoy the Megane RS225 (again short name for the sake of brevity) in all its different guises (including the R26) so my hopes weren't particularly high when the R27 arrived in town.

It's easy to spot the ones who get it... and the ones who don't. The latter crowd lavish praises on the R26 just because it 'feels' fast. While going fast is always a bonus, a 'hot-hatch' should always be about the handling over all else.

Some of the best hot-hatches of ages past (Peugeot 205 GTi and Clio Williams to name just 2) weren't particularly fast in a straight-line, but were capable of 1) lift-off oversteer fun and/or 2) lifting the inside wheel during cornering!

However, some time with the R27 quickly demonstrated that Renault has not lost its touch when it comes to creating genuinely entertaining hot hatchbacks, unlike the so many pretenders in the market today.

Some quick pix first before i finish this post:



Yep, this is a limited edition car with all the dodgy stickers on the outside (that you're more than welcome to peel off, of course) In the case of the R27 though, it really is a special breed of car.



These seats are fabbo and I'm not ashamed to say I almost peed my pants when i saw'em. These are 'real' Recaro OE pieces that grip and look fantastic! (as opposed to the off-the-shelf jobs that are hastily bunged into some 'performance' cars)



Oversized fonts let you keep an eye on things and everything you'll need to know is laid out logically in the instrument cluster.



Compared to the earlier Clio renaultsport 172/182s, the gearshift on the R27 is surprisingly precise, albeit just a tad long in throw. Gear-ratios are slightly long and one really needs to wring the R27 hard to have it perform.





Apart from the stickers, little badges and some visual aesthetic garnish helps distinguish it from the lesser models.



If the badges aren't enough, there's always the R27's phat stance, flared arches that boast outrageous vents, a rear underbody diffuser and the gorgeous gun-metal (or anthracite) alloy rims wrapped in really sticky rubber, to help the blind.

Don't be fooled by its proportions either. With a (near) 2600mm wheelbase, there's plenty of room for four adults and the boot has surprisingly generous cargo room.


On the move, the car emits a most delicious rasp, especially when you're heading up the rev-counter towards the oversized '8',000rpm mark. Owners of high revving VTEC machines will take to the R27 like a fish to water although they would appreciate an additional 1500rpm to play with in the high end! Turbo-lovers will lament the lack of punch compared to the Megane, which is true, but what it lacks in outright grunt, this tiny tyke makes up for in sophistication, especially the free-revving nature of the F4R engine.



Damping, ride comfort and body control are top-notch during regular ho-hum driving (R27 inherits the more aggressive suspension from the Clio Cup 197). However, even when the red-mist descends, the chassis' ability to cope with abrupt direction changes and hard turn-ins demonstrates a finesse that is lacking in so many more expensive machinery. The steering responds with enough alertness, and there's ample communication and feedback to keep you engaged (unlike the Megane).

At highway speeds of up to 180km/h, one can really feel the aerodynamics at work as the R27 hunkers down to the tarmac leech-like. I've been in bigger cars that felt less stable at these speeds! Also don't forget that the new car has a far heavier kerb-weight than its earlier counterparts, with only a marginal increase in power, so moving-off from standstill is accompanied by a little lethargy.

Like most of the other models in this segment from the other French brands, the R27 doesn't feature Xenon headlamps, which is quite a downer for me (especially since the earlier Clio RS had them as a standard option). To me, the R27 presents a perfect package, so it's a shame that the R27, which would set you back S$110, doesn't come equipped with HIDs.

But that's a small gripe in a little car that is so BIG on fun!

Fast Facts - Renault Clio Renault F1 Team R27
Engine: 1998cc, 16-valves, 4-cylinder
Maximum power: 197bhp at 7250rpm
Maximum torque: 215Nm at 5550rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
0-100km/h: 6.9 seconds
Top speed: 215km/h
Wheelbase: 2585mm
LxBxH: 3991 x 2025 x 1484 mm
Kerbweight: 1240kg
Agent: Wearnes Automotive