By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent

Many of you might have heard of the new Volkswagen Scirocco, a sporty two-door hatch that was introduced to the press a year ago.

You might have read comments about how Volkswagen could have pushed the design envelope further and how the car could have done with more oomph.

Looking at this picture of the car, you may even be nodding in agreement.

But let me tell you this: Pictures do this car no justice at all.

The first glimpse of the test car in the metal took my breath away. Among the 12 Volkswagen models available here, it is quite easily the most stunning.

Some might argue that the Passat CC is equally eye-catching. True, but in a more grown-up, slightly stuffier way.

The Scirocco is slightly longer than the Golf, substantially wider and sits lower. It is a shape that promises performance, which the car delivers. But more on that later.

Although its closest sibling may be the Golf, the car's front and rear tracks are more in line with the bigger VW Tiguan's. The 2.0 turbo version, wearing shiny 18-inch wheels shod with low-profile Pirelli P Zero Rossos and daytimerunning lights, looks the part of a modern street warrior. A 1.4-litre twincharged version with fewer features is available at about $22,000 less.

Inside, the Scirocco is recognisably Volkswagen but has enough special elements to make it stand out. These include triangular chrome-lined door handles, scalloped semi-bucket seats and a panoramic sunroof.

In the 2.0-litre, there is also a button that lets you select damping mode (Normal, Comfort and Sport). Even in Normal, the car's wonderfully sorted chassis and the inherent physics of its dimensions mean it is quite capable of handling what its 200bhp engine dishes out, perhaps more.

Alas, Volkswagen has given its power plant an identical output as the previous Golf GTI and 10bhp less than the new GTI. It is clearly a move to preserve the GTI's hot hatch status.

But like the new GTI, the Scirocco gets its full measure of torque at just 1,700rpm. The 280Nm of pulling power does not peter off until past 5,000rpm.

In the test car, this often proves a tad too much for the Pirellis and wheelspin is inescapable whenever you blast off from the lights. (That may explain the car's relatively modest 7.1-second century sprint.)

Similar attempts in the wet will trigger the car's traction control, which intervenes with the subtlety of a mule.

Those Pirelli rubbers come into their own when you slingshot the sexy hatchback around twistier stretches, though. Again, the stability of the wide-bodied car proves unshakeable.

On that score, the Scirocco is evidently half a notch above the GTI, a car which it may trail from the starting grid but is quite likely to catch up with when the tarmac runs out of straights.

Hence in the real world, there is no question which is the overall quicker ride.

The tried and tested 2.0-litre turbo is mated to a six-speed double-clutch DSG transmission. Each shift in this seamless and lightning-quick gearbox is accompanied by a muted throttle blip.

Flicking the gear lever to Sport evokes the Scirocco's nastier side. There is usually too much teeth-gnashing involved here. So, unless you are making it your personal mission to chase down every Audi TT driver who gives you the eye, driving the car in Drive is more than enough excitement on most days.

It is also more economical. Cruising, it is easy to get more than 12km to the litre, which is amazing for a car with the Scirocco's prowess.

A light and responsive steering contributes to the car's driveability, along with brakes which are reassuringly tough yet well measured.

The car's ride quality is pretty decent. The default setting is firm but never harsh. For less-than-perfect surfaces, such as the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, you can switch to a softer channel at the touch of a button.

The test car had one glitch: Its hill-hold function, which allows the car to stay put on a slope without you engaging the brakes, did not work.

Before we finish, a bit of history: The new Scirocco is the third interpretation of a model VW made between 1974 and 1992. Like many Volkswagens, the name is inspired by winds. In this case, a warm humid Mediterranean wind.

It is a good thing the car has turned out the way it did. Otherwise, it would be easy to dismiss it as hot air.

christan@sph.com.sg

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