Forgotten Classic: VW Scirocco II

Italians call “Scirocco” a Mediterranean wind that originates from the Sahara and can blow at over 100Km/h on its way from North Africa to Southern Europe, especially during Autumn and Spring. But there was a time when the Scirocco also came from Germany and could be even faster…

The limited edition “White Cat” of the VW Scirocco II (c. Volkswagen Newsroom)

Launched at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show, the first Volkswagen Scirocco replaced the pretty but very much outdated Karmann Ghia and preceded the Golf hatchback on the market by a few months.
Thanks to its cocktail of practicality, sweet handling, and sharp Giugiaro lines, the first Scirocco was a smash hit, selling over half a million copies. So it’s understandable that, when designing the second generation, Volkswagen did what it does best: evolve and refine a winning formula.

The original Scirocco from 1973 (c. Volkswagen Newsroom)

Still based on the predecessor’s “A1” platform, shared with the original Golf, but with a more elongated body that provided more headroom and luggage space, the 1981 Scirocco wasn’t designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, but you could be…