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The Volkswagen Scirocco was manufactured in 1974. It was a three-door coupe positioned as a small family car. The name comes from the Italian word for the Sirocco wind, and was one of a number of models that Volkswagen named after well-known natural phenomena.
It was designed as a replacement for the Karmann Ghia coupe. It was built on a platform of both the Golf and Jetta, but tweaked to be sportier. The Mark 1 version went on sale in Europe in 1974, with the US launch following in 1975. Few changes were made on this model, though there were special Volkswagen Scirocco cars produced, such as the Sidewinder. These were differentiated by painting styles and trim.
In 1982, the Mark 2 version was launched. It had a range of four-cylinder engines, and a distinctive rear spoiler positioned on the rear hatch. There were some minor changes made to the design in 1984 such as a new air conditioning compressor and the removal of the Scirocco script. Volkswagen Scirocco sales lasted until 1989 in the US but it was not until 1992 that production ceased in Germany.
However, in 2008, a third generation of the Scirocco was launched, with the car presented at the Geneva Motor Show that year. Again, the basic design was modelled on a Golf platform, this time the Golf V. Due to the exchange rate at the time, Volkswagen made the decision not to launch the model in the US, as they did not think they could make any money on the model. You are only likely to see a second-hand Volkswagen Scirocco in Europe.
There were various versions of this new model made, and secondhand Volkswagen Scirocco cars are popular. However, the greatest design was the Scirocco R, which was based on the GT24, which had been manufactured for racing. This production version has a 2-litre TSI engine and an integrated front spoiler.