EVEN the thorny old diehards, it seems, are open to persuasion. Like the three-time Scirocco owner who steadfastly refused to even step into the cabin of the latest version. A string of automotive gongs along with the promise of enjoying the most dynamic and technically advanced production coupe Volkswagen has ever offered were insufficient to tempt him across the threshold. Cars as iconic as the original 1974-84 models should be sealed in the annals of time, not resurrected, given a smiley new face and put on the wish list of twenty-something blondes, was his take on it. Then the fates conspired to alter that perception. On a miserable, wet Sunday when you’re low on funds and reliant on public transport it’s irresistible to accept a lift home. And that meant having to travel in the Scirocco. The transformation from grimacing sceptic to dog with two dinners was near instant. The interior was stylish and upmarket, the instruments accessible, the person who had told him it was claustrophobic had lied and unlike many cars, this one was a treat to be carried in. He even admitted to appreciating the Scirocco’s design, particularly the pronounced haunches that sweep over the car’s rear wheel arches, saying that he had never actually bothered to view it from every angle. I didn’t take quite so much convincing, though as a fan of VW stablemate the Golf GTI I wondered whether the 2.0-litre Scirocco would be in the same league. No doubts there - this is a terrific car in just about every way. Volkswagen’s TSI petrol engines are fantastic units anyway, producing lots of punch with low emissions from a relatively small capacity. For instance the latest model in the range, the 1.4 TSI 122PS at £18,860, boasts plenty of torque allowing acceleration to 62mph in 9.7 seconds and a top speed of 124mph. The 2.0-litre version ups the ante considerably with its 200PS of power, yet is still capable of returning an official average of 37.2 miles per gallon. It’s a very rewarding car to drive with well balanced steering – effortless at low speed but direct when driven hard – easy shift six-speed gearbox and throaty note from the exhaust. That said, all bar entry level Sciroccos have an adaptive chassis control set-up that lets the driver select between normal, comfort and sport settings to ensure the desired suspension, steering and throttle responses for their particular driving style. Every car comes with a raft of standard kit and safety features like anti-lock brakes, ESP, automatic hazard lighting under severe braking, curtain airbags, flat-bottomed and leather trimmed steering wheel, iPod connection and six-disc CD player. And the GT version adds the likes of 18-inch alloys, multifunction computer, twin pipes, electronic climate control and heat insulating tinted glass, though you have to shell out another £1,685 for a Vienna leather package or £355 for rear parking sensors. As for practicality, there’s ample space up front, enough leg and shoulder room in the back for two rear passengers while the slightly angled individual rear seats mean there’s just about enough headroom too. The rear seats also fold down to expand what is a reasonably sized and very deep boot. So what’s the verdict – Scirocco or Golf GTI? The Scirocco, just! FAST FACTS Volkswagen Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI Price: £23,540 Mechanical: 200PS, 1,884cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox Max speed: 149mph 0-62mph: 6.9 secs Combined mpg: 38.2 Insurance group: 16 CO2 emissions: 172g/km BiK rating: 22% Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust | 
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