Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
It’s been a long time since I’ve written up a Scirocco, but this red one is a great way to get back into it. The main thing the Scirocco gives up to the Audi Ur-Quattro for me is the amount of wheels driving; it wins for me in the looks department. Refreshingly stock and with less than 140k miles, this could be a great buy.
Before the second generation Scirocco arrived in 1982, the original Giugiaro sport coupe would be given a sendoff by way of a special model, the “S.” These were available in three colors, Cosmos Silver Metallic, Cirrus Gray Metallic and Mars Red with red piping on the bumpers and different seat trim and came equipped with the 5-speed manual gearbox. As usual, there seems to be a good amount of clean Mk1s coming out of the woodwork, but early Sciroccos are a tough find indeed. This one for sale in California in Cirrus Gray Metallic is a claimed three owner car and from the paint to the interior trim looks to be all there and in rather tidy nick.
It’s been about a month since we last wrote up a Scirocco 16V, a neat economy hatchback with plenty of 1980s character and styling. The 16V was and still is a perennial favorite of the VW crowd, who generally modify them to make them better performers and turners. Few seem to remain in pristine, original shape anymore – and this isn’t one of them, but it is a first-year model with some tasteful modifications that might be a good canvas for the VW loyal:
Much like the 1989 Polo GT and 1989 GTi 5-door, Europeans generally have been more interested in stylish examples of economy cars rather than the largest motor available. With gas prices pushing $8.00 a gallon and high taxes on larger engine displacements, it’s easy to understand why though Americans still haven’t gotten the message here. While the U.S. got the revered 16 valve version of the Scirocco 2, most European examples made due with less-thirsty 8 valve versions. That didn’t stop them from dressing the cars up, such as today’s twin Scirocco GTs, a model we didn’t get on these shores:
In lieu of the normal “Tuner Tuesday” posts, today I decided to write up two home-brew specials in the likeness of many tuners. We started with the 1968 BMW 1600 S14 swap, a rare to see model with some really great looking and fun-increasing modifications. But I think the cake might go to this afternoon’s Christmas Eve special, a 1977 Volkswagen Scirocco that has more period modifications than you’ll usually see – but manages to pull it off really well! That can’t always be said for 1980s-era modifications in general, as quite a few were in questionable taste. That’s part of what makes this Scirocco so special and neat to see, if seeing an old Scirocco wasn’t neat enough. We’ve gotten to see two this week, the all original and mint condition 1981 Scirocco and today’s tuned example: