The three-door hatchback was modified by VW and Audi specialist HPA Motorsports.
Despite its position as a fun-to-drive vehicle and its cool name, the Volkswagen Scirocco's stint in the US was short. VW sold the first and second generations to American buyers but left in 1988 following the model's discontinuation. The nameplate returned in 2008 for its third-gen form but never arrived in North America.
But that didn't stop a guy named Alex from bringing his Germany-bought Scirocco to the US and turning it into something unique. TheSmokingTire on YouTube featured this particular Scirocco, with presenter Zack Klapman learning more about its intriguing secrets under the hood.
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Since Volkswagen USA didn't sell the third-gen, this three-door Scirocco is a rare sight on the road. But what makes it more distinct is its powertrain, which was pulled out from Alex's Golf R32 Mk5. The build was completed by HPA Motorsports, a tuner specialist for VW and Audi cars.
The Golf R32-sourced 3.2-liter V6 engine modified with the tuner's FT536 twin turbo kit generates 565 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque, which makes it even more powerful than the current VW Golf R. A six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission is used to send power to all wheels via a Haldex permanent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. Alex said the fuel tank had to be modified to enable the AWD.
More to the specs, the VW Scirocco is equipped with a set of 19-inch custom BBS wheels, KW coilovers with a hydraulic lift system, a Competition Haldex controller, an HPA Motorsport big brake kit, and a Reiger body styling package.
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The project was said to cost mid-100,000 dollars (not mentioned whether US or Canadian). With that money, Alex was considering getting an exotic with the Lamborghini Gallardo. But he instead produced probably the only 565-hp VW Scirocco made road-legal in the US.
If you're interested in buying this gem, though, it's currently up for auction on Cars & Bids, with a $54,000 bid at the time of this writing.
Originally, the first Scirocco from 1974 was penned by Giorgetto Guigaro, an Italian automotive designer who also worked on the BMW M1 and DMC DeLorean (the original, not the new one). He also designed the 1974 Hyundai Pony, which today inspired the Korean brand's latest concepts including the retro-styled N Vision 74.
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Keyword: This Tuned VW Scirocco Is More Powerful Than A Golf R