| The world's fourth largest car producer after | | | | Volkswagen, displays a combination of plastic |
| GM, Toyota and Ford, Volkswagen will make its | | | | and brushed aluminum, with the air vents |
| 2009 Scirocco available by Fall 2008. The | | | | mimicking the shape of the new coupe's |
| Iroc, shorter name for Scirocco, concept | | | | arresting grille. A thick-rimmed three-spoke |
| gives a strong hint about the direction of | | | | steering wheel, with shift paddles for the |
| the upcoming Scirocco -- even taking its | | | | DSG gearbox, has a highly technical look that |
| moniker from the middle four letters of the | | | | is shared by the instrument panel and |
| production model's name. Wrapped in an | | | | switchgear. Underpinning the Iroc is a |
| arresting three-door hatchback body, the Iroc | | | | lightly modified version of Volkswagen's PQ35 |
| portends a wave of new high-volume models. | | | | front-wheel-drive platform as used in the |
| Volkswagen is banking on the new models to | | | | Golf and a whole range of models from Audi, |
| haul it back to financial health after its | | | | Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen. As expected there |
| costly move into the luxury ranks with cars | | | | are the excellent Volkswagen parts: |
| like the Touareg and the Phaeton. Created | | | | suspension is via MacPherson struts up front |
| in-house under the direction of Volkswagen's | | | | and multilinks at the rear, with the Iroc |
| chief designer, Murat Gunak, the Iroc eschews | | | | hunkered low over 235/35 rubber on towering |
| the retro route previously traveled by VW | | | | 19-inch alloy wheels. The steering relies on |
| with its New Beetle and stillborn Microbus | | | | electrohydraulic assistance. Volkswagen isn't |
| concept. Instead, the Iroc's design relies on | | | | giving too much away about the Iroc's |
| contemporary styling that's said to provide | | | | four-cylinder engine, except to say the |
| solid hints about other future Volkswagen | | | | supercharged and turbocharged |
| models. Central to the exterior appearance is | | | | direct-injection Twincharger unit produces |
| a gaping single-frame grille finished in | | | | 210 hp. Sources suggest to Inside Line that |
| brushed aluminum, giving the new car plenty | | | | it is the same 1.4-liter unit that powers the |
| of presence and a certain Audi-esque allure. | | | | Golf GT, with added boost pressure to |
| Further refinement will be carried out, but | | | | increase power by 40 hp. With a projected |
| the proportions are said to mirror those of | | | | curb weight of about 1350 kg, or just less |
| the production car. The Iroc is 166.9 inches | | | | than 3000 pounds, 0-60-mph acceleration |
| in length, 70.8 inches in width and 55.1 | | | | should be around 7 seconds, with top speed |
| inches in height, similar to the dimensions | | | | likely to hit 150 mph. Other engines under |
| of the Golf. The concept also sits on a long | | | | discussion for production versions of the new |
| 104.6-inch wheelbase, offering seating for | | | | coupe include a 240-hp version of the Golf |
| four adults and about 10.6 cubic feet of | | | | GTi's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, |
| luggage space. Inside, Volkswagen serves up a | | | | along with the new 280-hp 3.6-liter V6 found |
| dramatic-looking cabin with styling links to | | | | in the North American market's top-end Passat |
| the Concept A unveiled at the Geneva Motor | | | | -- the latter in combination with |
| Show back in February. The dashboard, more | | | | Volkswagen's 4Motion four-wheel-drive system. |
| minimalist than people used to seeing from | | | | |