Who’d have thought a little gathering in Austria could give birth to three stunning concept cars. This is VW’s new Scirocco GT24 concept and it’s appearing at the Wörthersee Tour alongside the Audi TT and A3 Clubsport Quattros.
The Volkswagen Scirocco GT24 concept is a road version of the trio of racecars (pictured bottom far right) that will compete in this weekend’s Nürburgring 24-hour race. And like the VW Golf GTI W12 concept from 2007, the VW Scirocco GT24 is a runner. According to Volkswagen the GT24 is also a pointer towards how an ‘R’ version of the Scirocco could look.
Let me guess, the VW Scirocco GT24 has a 2.0-litre turbo?
Spot on, and that forced-induction 2.0-litre makes 321bhp and 251lb ft. It’s mated to VW’s obligatory six-speed dual-clutch ‘box with power going to the front wheels. Why no four-wheel drive? Because even the earliest reports about a hot Scirocco pointed towards an R20 with a tweaked 2.0-litre turbo, rather than the new coupe using a V6.
To beef up the gearbox there are new clutch plates, alongside revised gear ratios and a lightened flywheel.
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What’s the Scirocco been taking to get these pumped-up looks?
The GT24 has clearly been to the same gym as the Nürburgring Scirocco racers. The racecars and the road car use the same shell so the concept is 227mm longer than the regular car and 61mm wider to accommodate a wider track.
Underneath that big bodywork also sits lowered suspension and adjustable race dampers that give the GT24 a 75mm drop in ride height. The wheels are 18-inch with 362mm (front) and 255mm (rear) brakes while the Scirocco GT24 is also finished in Volkswagen Racing Blue.
Is it stripped out inside too?
Yes, as befits a proper racecar for the road. The Scirocco GT24 has shed 178kg so it tips the scales at 1120kg. A rollcage, Recaro seats and five-point harnesses keep the driver and front seat passenger safe. A carbon dash, new steering wheel, electronic display and fire extinguisher round off the racing tweaks.
The new VW Scirocco goes on sale on August 29 2008 in the UK with a 197bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine. Expect an R version to appear in 2009.