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So the first pair of Scirocco images have appeared online. Real or not, they look pretty close. Word has it they originated at AutoWeek.nl.

Since the Volkswagen Scirocco was announced 34 years ago at the Geneva Motor Show, we wanted to put together a little something in anticipation. We gathered some (official) images from Volkswagen and posted a gallery. For some, this may bring back many memories. For others, who are new to the Volkswagen lifestyle, here is a small history lesson, with the help of wiki of course.

Click image for gallery

The first-generation Scirocco was initially presented to the public 34 years ago. That was in Geneva too. Now Volkswagen is celebrating the comeback of its legendary two-door automobile. Thanks to an elongated roof, the vehicle offers room for four adults, making it a sports car that can be used on any day of the year. The Scirocco is driven by a selection of four high-torque, low-consumption TDI and TSI engines of between 90 kW / 122 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS. This new sports car will come with a choice of numerous innovative technologies, such as an adaptive chassis control.

- Volkswagen

First generation:
Volkswagen began work on the car during the early 1970s as the replacement for the aging Karmann Ghia coupe, and designated it the Type 53 internally. As a cost-saving method, VW chose to use the A1 chassis shared with the Golf/Rabbit and Jetta to underpin the new Scirocco, although most every part of the car was re-engineered in favor of a sportier drive, and the model’s all-new styling, penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, was sleeker and sportier than that of either the Golf (Rabbit) or Jetta. The model went on sale in Europe in 1974 and in North America in 1975. MKI models featured a range of four-cylinder engines with displacements from 1.1 to 1.6 litres (1.7 litres in North America), all featuring a single-overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder.

Second geneeration:
A heavily re-designed “MKII” variant went on sale in 1982, although it remained on the MKI platform and a more mild, mid-cycle redesign occurred in 1984, which included few outward changes over the 82′ model. These external changes included a larger spoiler and vinyl on the B-pillar. Internal changes include a larger fuel tank with a second “Transfer” fuel pump, a new space-saver spare tire, a re-designed air conditioner compressor, and a different brake master cylinder with in-line proportioning valves and a brake light switch mounted to the pedal instead of on the master cylinder. A leather interior, power windows and mirrors, air conditioning, and a manual sunroof were options for all years. Engine power and torque steadily increased over the years - 82 and 83 models produced 74hp and 90 ft-lbs of torque. The engine code was EN. the 1984 models produced 90 hp and 100 ft-lbs torque, the engine code was JH. In mid-1986 a 16 valve model with 12 3hp and 120 ft-lbs of torque was released in the United States and Canada, which included a full body skirt, larger rear spoiler and tear-drop shaped wheel slots, to distinguish it from MKII 8V models. The 16v engine code was PL.

The MKII generation (Type 53B) brought with it a new 1.7 litre base engine and, from 1986, an optional 1.8 litre, double overhead camshaft motor featuring 4-valves per cylinder. Although the 16-valve 1.8 brought added performance to the range, it proved a somewhat questionable choice, as later A2 Golf GTIs were available with a more powerful 16-valve 2.0 litre motor. This was, however, not questionable at the time since the 2.0 litre 16V motor did not show up in America until 1990, two years after the demise of the Scirocco in the US. Still, the European 1.8 16v that was fitted into the Scirocco GTX 16v model developed 139 bhp (104 kW), surpassed only by the A3 generation 2.0 16v with 150 bhp (110 kW).

Like the first generation Scirocco, the car was assembled on behalf of Volkswagen by Karmann of Osnabrück.

Scirocco sales continued until 1988 in the United States, 1989 in Canada, and 1992 in Germany.

The Scirocco was replaced by the Corrado in the VW line-up.

Third generation:
In June of 2006, VW officially announced production of a new Scirocco model at the Autoeuropa assembly plant in Palmela, Portugal. Volume is expected to be 100,000 cars per year, with the first Scirocco rolling off the line in 2008.

A concept of the 2008 Scirocco was shown at the 2006 Paris Auto Show, called the Iroc, which was then renamed Scirocco. It is said to share more in spirit and name rather than form with the original design. The 2008 Scirocco will receive the option of two petrol engines: Volkswagen’s TSI twincharged straight-4 producing 168 hp (125 kW), and the 200 hp 2.0T FSI engine currently featured in the MkV Golf GTI, the Passat and Jetta.

In April 2007, VW America’s vice president, Adrian Hallmark, stated that his company did not want to bring the Scirocco to North America since it would likely have a negative effect on GTI sales. It was later stated that the final decision would be made in 2008 by Martin Winterkorn (Volkswagen’s CEO), not Volkswagen of America.

- Source

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