Apparel
Volkswagen of America has always done a spectacular job of tempting us stateside enthusiasts with great new models, only to never bring them to the USA. From the legendary Rallye Golf to the Amarok, VW has teased us time and time again, but biggest tease of all might just have the be the new VW Scirocco. Like the Golf, but sleeker, sexier, and more stylish, the new Scirocco raised eyebrows around the world when Volkswagen decided to bring back the name—which hadn’t been seen since the 1980s. But alas, VW of America decided against it, and those of us in North America have had to enjoy them vicariously through our European friends, such as Jake’s VW Scirocco on Vossen VLE-1 Limited Edition Wheels.
Much like its retro predecessor, the new Scirocco shares a lot its soul with its respective Golf platform, offering the same 2-litre turbocharged engine and a very, almost identical chassis. But on the outside, it’s an entirely different beast.
While the VW Golf is a more reserved, mass-appealing car, fit for the common commute or the a roadtrip (and as VW advertises, transporting home DIY project materials and sporting goods), the Scirocco is of a different breed. Sharper lines, a more aero-looking profile, and wider hips make the third-gen Scirocco a modifier’s playground, opening the door perfectly for one of our favorite wheels: The VLE-1.
Jake’s Scirocco is unlike a lot of other cars we encounter, however. There’s a lot more to this build than our directional wheels and air suspension, and that’s the true beauty behind the build.
Carbon fiber Porsche GT3 seats, retrimmed in suede with a honeycomb stitch, cradle you nicely, and while you look around the rest of the cabin you find that nearly every panel has been trimmed to match. It’s not just a set of seats swapped into a standard car, here!
Out back you’ll find an insanely-impressive air tank install, with three teal cylinders suspended above the floor. Perfectly-massaged black hard lines route air from compressor-to-tank-to-strut, and sizable subwoofer rounds out the acoustics in the car.
Once on the road, the car really shines. There’s something about the VLE-1 when it’s spinning that we can’t help but adore, and when mixed with the Scirocco, it’s as-if the wheels were made with that specific make and model in mind. But then again, we seem to find ourselves saying that with most of the cars we put them on!
Vossen VLE-1 ///// 20×9 ///// Gloss Graphite ///// www.vle1.com
Owner: Jake Riley (@jak111e) ///// Air/Audio: Riiva Design (@riivadesign)
Words / Photos: Sam Dobbins (@sdobbins_vossen) ///// Video: Anthony De La Paz (@dela_vossen)
