While it's not as handsome as its Giugiaro-designed predecessor, today's Nice Price or No Dice Scirocco is mechanically more athletic thanks to its 16-valve engine. Unfortunately, this one isn't running right now, so we'll have to decide whether its price makes it worth getting those mechanical bits moving again.
It's debatable when the modern era of the automobile began, but the advent of electronic engine control, airbags, and anti-lock brakes certainly makes the 1980s a good place to plant a flag in the sand. This era also saw carmakers finally get a handle on emissions and fuel economy, bringing horsepower back to the fold.
The 1994 Ford Taurus SHO that we looked at on Thursday was a product of the '80s, even if its date stamp was half a decade later. It still showed an '80s eagerness, along with a rare-for-the-time multivalve engine. With low miles and a remarkably clean presentation, the only thing keeping most of you from jumping on its $9,900 asking price was the car's automatic transmission. For pure performance satisfaction, you all want to drive stick. The result was some dicey back-and-forth in the early voting. At the end of the day, automatic or not, the SHO still managed to win a narrow 55% 'Nice Price' vote.
Thar she blows!
Today we're going to look at another car of the '80s that showed an early inkling of the kind of features and performance we take for granted today. When Volkswagen introduced the Golf, the company's most important car since the original Type 1 Beetle, it didn't take chances with its success. VW didn't just go to Italian design house Italdesign-Giugiaro for the car's timeless good looks; it also hashed out the mechanicals by launching the also-Giugiaro-penned Scirocco sports coupe a year earlier.
Built by coach house Karmann, the Scirocco became a hit until it was overshadowed by the cheaper and more practical Golf GTI, a model that would go on to become synonymous with the image of the "hot hatch." Both cars, it should be noted, along with almost all of VW's other '70s offerings, were named after winds around the world.
When it came time to refresh the Scirocco, Volkswagen kept production at Karmann but brought the redesign in-house. The resulting second-generation car, like today's 1984 Scirocco 16V, is nowhere near as good-looking or iconic as its predecessor, but it's better in nearly every other way. And if you're going to go with an '80s Scirocco, the 16V model is the one you want. Originally designed by tuner Oettinger, the model's 16-valve head bumped the 1.8-liter four-cylinder's output from 90 to 123 horsepower. And you'll be happy to know that it's mated to a five-speed manual in this car.
A strong candidate
Of course, it would be all disco balls and booty calls if this car were actually running. Instead, the ad lists it as non-operational, with no information on the cause. That's pretty alarming, since anything could be impairing its ability to run, and diagnosing an older car like this can be daunting.
Before we get all negative Nancy on this Scirocco, let's look at the positives. First off, unless the bottom end has given up and sent a rod through the block, the EA827 engine is fairly stout and easy to work on. And, glory of glories, it's a non-interference engine, so if the timing belt is the culprit, the valves are safe from damage.
Other plusses include relatively low mileage (96,900) and a decent overall appearance. According to an earlier attempt by the seller to move the car on the Bay of E, it spent most of its life in Texas and is laudably rust-free as a result. That earlier ad apparently also included a parts car to accompany the Scirocco, but the current Craigslist classified doesn't mention it.
Like new?
That eBay auction came with a higher price tag but the same non-operational situation. The car was notable enough to warrant a shout-out on the website Barn Finds back in June. There, the car was deemed a suitable restoration project or simply left as a "survivor class" car show contender. The BarnFinds article, which references the eBay listing, notes that the seller thinks the car's issue is electrical in nature but hasn't bothered to suss it out properly.
The seller describes the car's current condition as "like new" in the Craigslist ad. That's somewhat misleading, as while the car does appear to be complete and in pretty solid shape, no one would have ever walked into a VW showroom back in the day, taken one look at this car, and exclaimed, "Ohh, shiny! shiny!"
On the plus side, it has a clean title, and the Mars Red color suits the model's lines fairly well.
Priced to move?
Okay, so I know that non-runners are typically non-starters for most of you, who don't share my inquisitive urge to get under the hood and noodle around until the car runs. That being said, let's take a moment to consider this interesting '80s icon and its $4,999 price tag. Obviously, the dealer saddled with the car wants it gone and has been trying, without success, to offload it at a profit since early summer, if that paper trail back to the eBay listing is accurate.
What do you think? Is this a viable project considering its age and history? If so, is that $4,999 price tag a reasonable ask? What if this rumored parts car was thrown in on the deal? Might that sway your opinion? Or would you prefer this non-operational Scirocco to stay someone else's problem?
You decide!
Myrtle Beach, Florida, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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