Volkswagen Iroc Concept

Paris, France — Europe's largest car maker, Volkswagen, has taken the wraps off a new concept vehicle, the Iroc, which will form the basis of the upcoming Scirocco sports hatch that first saw light of day 33 years ago at the Geneva Motor Show.

The idea of rebirthing old models is not new, and a vehicle like the BMW-built Mini Cooper is a good example of what can be done when designers stay relatively close to the original design: people in all major car markets love the car and buy the car in their droves.

However, Volkswagen has tasted the bitter side of the retro vehicle business case, evidenced in the reborn Beetle which failed to rekindle the passion of Baby Boomer buyers, enticing a younger audience in much smaller numbers. Though not an outright failure, the modern Beetle failed to reach the levels that Volkswagen had envisioned, and that could be why the company is not basing the new Iroc (scIROCco) design on the classic coupe, instead starting from scratch and creating a modern interpretation relying more on authentic naming than appearance.

The Iroc concept was launched at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, and provides a number of clues as to how a possible next generation Scirocco will be styled. A sports hatch whose only real rival would be the Alfa Romeo Brera, the vehicle is expected to be offered with a range of various engines when it reaches production in 2008, including small direct injection petrol engines with turbo and supercharging.

The concept version that was revealed at the Paris Motor Show features a 1.4-litre TSI engine. TSI stands for twincharger stratified injection.

The twincharger bit relates to the car's power development, which takes advantage of both a supercharger for low end boost and a turbocharger for extra power high in the rev range. Volkswagen says that the TSI engine is currently the most efficient 4-cylinder gasoline engine in the world.

It's also a very powerful 1.4-litre 4-cylinder engine, creating 155 kilowatts (210hp) which is 8kW more than the current 2.0-litre FSI turbo, and in the Iroc concept's case this will be enough juice to propel it from 0-100km/h in around six and a half seconds. Production versions of the 1.4-litre engine may be de-tuned for reliability however.

Volkswagen's dynamic twincharger engine is mated to the DSG (direct shift gearbox) and gives the concept car impressive off-the-line acceleration. VW adds that, "In principle, a large range of supercharged engines are conceivable for the Iroc that could start significantly under 110kW/150hp. But there's one thing every engine theoretically employed in the Iroc has to guarantee: Driving fun."

With its short overhangs and bold style the Iroc concept has a wheelbase measuring 2680mm, providing enough room for four occupants. The concept has a height of 1400mm, is 4240 mm long and 1800mm wide - short and stocky is an apt description. The light-alloy rims specially designed for the Iroc and are 19-inches in size, shod with 235/35ZR-19 rubber.

Though the remade Scirocco 'Iroc' concept is a modern interpretation of the late 20th century vehicle, starting with a clean sheet so to speak, Volkswagen explains that the Iroc also marks a stylistic turning point through its progressively designed radiator grill and a distinctive new form. In other words, Volkswagen will be changing the faces of its cars in the next decade, and this is the first glimpse of one of these new faces.

The front end of the new concept car will attract many punters at the Paris Motor Show, prominently featuring a hexagonal design. It's true that there's never been a radiator grille of such a radical shape for a Volkswagen, and by doing so the company has decided to use different 'faces' for specific models and segments. Where many automakers try to instill the company's design DNA into all models, creating a uniform look across the brand, VW is hinting that it may move away from this approach using different grilles to earmark different styles cars (sports, luxury, utility etc).

Designed as a hexagonal air intake, the grille goes all the way down to the dark front apron and to the right and left of it there are two more air intakes for cooling the brakes in true performance hatch style. The oversized radiator grille is book ended by the headlights, which combine LED and projector globes to create a modern style.

The concept of both Volkswagens is closely related, even though the vehicles are separated by over three decades. The first generation Scirocco was an attainable dream car for many people in the 1970s; styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and equipped with four full-fledged seats and a proper boot. The new model is a hint of what's to come from VW with the reborn model, which is expected to reach production in 2008.

As VW points out however, in contrast to the original Scirocco the Iroc is no classic coupé, but a progressively designed sports car with an extremely long roof and a comparatively steep rear end. The Iroc also has room in back for two adults and ample luggage. It also adds that the provocatively designed Iroc combines a high degree of suitability for not just daily use, but pure driving fun that, as a possible series-production vehicle, will also be very attractively positioned in terms of price.

The new model is finished in a bright green paint, called viper green metallic. This glaring green of the Iroc is especially effective in combination with the high contrast black shades of the concept. And like the confronting exterior, the interior is equally radical. Germany's biggest selling car brand conceived a design theme that it thoughts was "uncompromisingly harmonized for potential racing use".

Front bucket seats with integrated 5-point seatbelts and central lock were a good start, but it's both the neon-blue glow and intense design lies of the gauges and controls that really take centre stage. There's normally two major instruments in most sports car - the speedometer and tachometer - and the Iroc concept is no different, it's just the execution of these elements is completely different. The driver looks into two cylinders with twelve illuminated bars that create a three dimensional segmentation within the instruments, giving the car a very futuristic feel that is often the domain of concept cars.

It was about 33 years ago at the international car show in Geneva Volkswagen unveiled a new coupé that went on to sell more than 500,000 units across Europe and the Americas. As VW concedes, it was compact, distinctive, agile, spacious and affordable. Can the new Iroc concept spawn a similarly successful production version in 2008? Volkswagen has neither confirmed nor denied plans to create a production version, but the chances of it happening are very good.

The Iroc concept represents a number of innovations for Volkswagen, including a new look 'face' and the increasing use of the TSI (twincharger) engine type, and is an early look at the third generation Scirocco performance hatch that will arrive in Europe in 2008। Volkswagen has previously stated that it plans on producing 100,000 units per year, which would mean the car would need to have a low price and will probably compete with the Mini Cooper range.