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