BrynTurbo:Why pay £18790 for the scirocco when you can buy the more practical Golf GT 1.4TSI for £700 less and is more powerful at 170bhp?
Couple of reasons:
1) The Golf is £700 cheaper but is about to be replaced. Some articles suggest that the new version will be around £700 more (although there don't appear to be 'GT' spec cars available at launch). You are therefore buying the last of an old model, with the associated depreciation, old style interior etc.
2) The 170bhp version may sound like a better option than the new 158bhp engine, but in fact the 158bhp engine is faster to 60 AND uses less fuel. It will also be used in the Mk VI golf.
3) Every man and his dog has a golf. Whilst the Scirocco will no doubt be popular, presumably not quite as common as the golf.
4) Wider track and shorter height means that in theory the Scirocco will handle better than the golf.
Saying that though, I will be interested to see what the sportier golfs look like when they eventually come out. I'm not blown away by the 17" alloys (I would have preferred 17" versions of the Scirocco GT alloys) and a few other items of spec are missing (front fog lights, sports seats, 2zone climate control).