A new entry-level version of the Volkswagen Scirocco will be available from early next year. At £18,860 the 1.4 TSI 122 will be a full £1k cheaper than the current 160bhp base model.
Under the bonnet sits a less powerful version of the 1.4-litre TSI engine found in its bigger brother and like it, this unit comes straight out of the Golf. A heady 120bhp is on tap (122ps, hence the name) along with 147 lb ft of torque. On the face of it this is a bit of a worry, as the more powerful current 1.4 base model has already been criticised as being underpowered.
A six-speed manual gearbox channels what power there is to the front wheels, giving the car a quoted 0-62mph figure of 9.7secs, and a potential for 124mph at the top of sixth gear. For those who can resist the lure of all that thrust(!), 44.1mpg should be achievable, but that's actually less than the quoted figure for the current 160bhp base Scirocco, which is stated at 44.8mpg, and significantly less than the 50mpg+ available from the diesel 'Roccos.
The 122 is at least reasonably well-equipped with ABS, ESP, 17-inch 'Donington' alloys, rain and dusk sensors, air-con and an iPod-ready stereo all standard. You can also spec Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) for a further £765, though it may not be entirely necessary on this version!
The new entry-level Scirocco goes on sale from 4th January 2010.
To keep things fresh, VW has also announced a new styling pack for GT versions of the Scirocco. The 'Lugano Black' version adds 19-inch gloss-black alloys and 'Piano Black decorative inserts' for the cabin. And to its credit, this £950 option is cheaper than a decent piano, but probably not by as much as it should be...
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