Re: Whats the deal with roccos in europe

[16v Jason <jason@scirocco.org>]

At 06:37 PM 3/1/01 , Dirk Schneider wrote:
>here in Germany,
>the Scirocco is mainly underestimated as a "poor mans Porsche "
>and has not the best reputation, because the drivers are
>considered as  young, stupid, low-educated working class.
>
>In many of the reviews of car & motor magazines like AMS,
>the Scirocco Mk2 was considered as a weak and uninspired, boring car.
>
>At work I have to hear jokes like :
>"when do you finally buy a REAL car (BMW or Mercedes)",
>"oh my god, again he bought another Scirocco, he will never grow up"
>  and similar things...


Oh yeah -- I work for a German company, let's not forget, and I get the 
same shit from all of them -- even though I *have* a Mercedes and now a BMW 
as well...

The truth of the matter is that Germans really frown on the 
Sciroccos.  They're seriously looked down on because, as Dirk said, they're 
usually driven by younger, working-class (or less) guys who love to "pimp" 
them all out, make them really loud, and drive like idiots.

There are a few cars like that in Germany that fit the same mold -- the 
Opel Manta is the classic, and the Calibra got the same reputation.

Now, since I've had mine, I've had 4 Germans drive it, all of them but one 
declaring it "awesome" -- the other one saying that he thought it was 
impressive.  But none of them would consider buying one of them in Germany 
because of its reputation.  I get TORTURED (and I'm not exaggerating) on a 
weekly basis in E-Mail from the Germans, and it's now a running joke in the 
company that I drive a Scirocco...

Of course, it doesn't bother me none.  But we've gotten into really great 
conversations about the images of cars and how they can make or break 
them.  Most Germans think the US Ad campaigns for VW are hilarious-- 
because VWs are economy cars for Europeans -- they have nothing to do with 
enthusiastic driving.  Of course, you have to remember a few things:  They 
get Golfs and Polos with 1.0 and 1.4 liter engines.  They can buy Italian 
cars for fun, we can't.  And most importantly, they don't have Chevy 
Malibus for comparison.

So, by comarison, VWs are much sportier than, say, GM cars, but the GM cars 
over there aren't the GM cars here.  They're what we would consider much 
more sporty -- but just as cheap and shitty.

The two markets are very different.  What's considered a rare, beautiful, 
and even somewhat exotic "super-coupe" as Csaba Csere called the Scirocco, 
can be considered a total piece of shit failure by the other Market.

So don't take it personally...  just don't go announcing to Germans that 
you drive a Scirocco. :)

Jason




----------
1987 Scirocco 16v
1988 Mercedes 190E Sport Euro


http://www.scirocco16v.org


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