World class at the start - VW Scirocco, Alfasud TI and Audi 80 in a (historic) comparison test

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World class at the start - VW Scirocco, Alfasud TI and Audi 80 in a (historic) comparison test

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Created in 1974

Text:

Jürgen Rapp

Photos:

Audi / Werk

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Volkswagen Presse

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Audi Pressedienst

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Audi

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Audi AG

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Volkswagen

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Bruno von Rotz

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Alfa Romeo - Fiat Group

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Volkswagen Archiv / Werk

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Archiv

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World class at the start - Alfasud ti, Audi 80 GL and VW Scirocco TS compared

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti (1976) - with sporty rear spoiler and more power

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1974) - in beautiful red paintwork

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti - the sporty offshoot costs 11540 francs, the 5-speed gearbox costs 400 francs extra, the heated rear window 250 francs - at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - sufficient space in width and depth

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - Silhouette

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - striking face with halogen twin headlights

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - front and rear suspensions with coil springs and telescopic dampers

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - Dimensions

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - original drawing

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - in three different paint finishes

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - with five available gears

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - Performance and torque development

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - Sport appeal

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Alfa Romeo Alfasud ti (1973) - front inboard, rear outboard disc brakes

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VW Scirocco LS - pretty shape by Giugiaro - at the Geneva Motor Show 1974

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VW Scirocco (1975) - The Scirocco is positioned as a leisure vehicle

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VW Scirocco (1974) - Rear view of the Scirocco S

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VW Scirocco (1977) - The Scirocco is somewhat flatter and more aerodynamic than its Golf GTI brother

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VW Scirocco (1975) - the entry-level version with rectangular headlights

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VW Scirocco (1974) - the cheaper model had rectangular headlights

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VW Scirocco LS - premiere as Karmann-Ghia successor in Geneva - at the Geneva Motor Show 1974

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VW Scirocco (1976) - Golf-style fittings

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VW Scirocco (1974) - Interior of an early Scirocco with automatic transmission

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VW Scirocco TS - view of the beautifully appointed interior, priced at 14,040 francs as an LS and 14,800 francs as a TS - at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show

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VW Scirocco (1977) - Interior of the Scirocco GL

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VW Scirocco (1975) - with transversely mounted four-cylinder engine and thus more space - Geneva Motor Show 1975

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VW Scirocco (1974) - came before the Golf and before the Alfasud Sprint, which it looked quite similar to

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VW Scirocco (1974) - wedge-shaped and modern

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VW Scirocco (1974) - with upmarket equipment and alloy wheels

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VW Scirocco (1974) - designed by Giugiaro

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VW Scirocco (1974) - the more expensive models had twin headlights

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VW Scirocco TS - presented for the first time, designed by Giorgio Giugiaro - at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show

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VW Scirocco (1974) - An agile coupé with many estate car advantages

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VW Scirocco (1976) - Sectional drawing illustrating where and which precious metals are used in car construction.

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VW Scirocco (1974) - View of the new coupé

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VW Scirocco (1975) - rear view with open and closed tailgate

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VW Scirocco (1974) - a tailgate opens the way to the variable luggage compartment

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VW Scirocco (1974) - the simpler model with the rectangular headlights

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VW Scirocco (1974) - S and L model with different front headlights

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VW Scirocco (1977) - Rear view of the fast GTI

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VW Scirocco (1974) - Attractively styled bodywork

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VW Scirocco (1977) - a GT model with 1600 cc engine

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VW Scirocco (1975) - compact coupé shape

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VW Scirocco (1975) - sporty appearance of the S model

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VW Scirocco (1978) - The GTI is no different in appearance from its peers

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Audi 80 (1973) - The trade press was enthusiastic about the new Audi 80 right from the start.

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Audi 80 (1973) - The Audi 80 was born with lightweight construction in mind.

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Audi 80 L (1974) - the passenger safety cabin

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Audi 80 L (1974) - Interior schematic with explanations

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Audi 80 GL (1974) - in the great outdoors

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Audi 80 L (1973) - 1.3 liter displacement and 55 hp

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Audi 80 (1972) - See-through drawing with focus on the engine

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Audi 80 (1976) - before the facelift, faster models like this GTE with four headlights

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Audi 80 (1976) - before the facelift, faster models with four headlights

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Audi 80 L (1973) - the Audi four-cylinder, the basis for many Audi and Volkswagen engines in the years to come

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Audi 80 (1972) - See-through drawing with focus on the body structure

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Audi 80 (1972) - See-through drawing with focus on the chassis

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Audi 80 (1972) - lightweight construction of the seventies, the car weighed just 835 kg

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Audi 80 GL (1973) - the GL model had twin headlights and improved equipment

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Audi 80 LS (1973) - four-door version, premiere in Geneva, from 10,920 francs - at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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Audi 80 (1975) - Contemporary advertising photograph

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Audi 80 GL (1972) - with twin headlights

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Audi 80 staged in advertising of the time

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Audi 80 LS (1972) - Contemporary advertising photograph

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Audi 80 LS (1972) - Easily usable, spacious trunk

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - during the brake test

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Audi 80 GL (1973) - The top model with twin headlights

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - The top speed was 160 km/h

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Audi 80 LS (1975) - Good all-round visibility thanks to low beltline

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - On average it consumed 10.4 liters/100 km

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Audi 80 LS (1975) - There was a four-door version, but no estate car

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Audi 80 LS (1975) - Only narrow objects fit through the short tailgate

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - Trip to the sailing harbor

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - The L-equipment included a lockable fuel filler cap

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - A relatively petite car

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - You paid DM 11,595 for the two-door sedan

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Audi 80 LS (1975) - Grippy steering wheel with wide horn button

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Audi 80 LS (1975) - Exterior mirror adjustable from the inside

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Audi 80 LS (1974) - A spin in a sporty two-door car

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Audi 80 GTE (1976) - The fuel injection gave it unexpected power

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Audi 80 GTE (1976) - With K-Jetronic injection system

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Summary

For a long time, the small BMW was considered the sportiest saloon. Then the Audi 80 came along and slowed it down. But when the Alfasud-ti started to overtake, VW attacked with the Scirocco. Who won the race for the sportiest car of 1974?

This article contains the following chapters

Two Audi 80s were to be given a chance
Significant weaknesses in comfort in the VW Scirocco
Poor workmanship on the ti model of the Alfasud
Scirocco not yet a VW?
More horsepower for the Alfasud

Estimated reading time: 22min

Preview (beginning of the article)

When we pitted the BMW 2002 against the Audi 80 GT, the Opel Ascona 19 SR and the Escort RS 2000 in issue 10/73 , nobody was talking about the fuel crisis and soaring car prices. At that time, the brand-new Audi 80 GT was clearly ahead of the competition - including the new Escort RS. The 80 GT was priced at just under DM 11,000, while the little BMW had already passed the DM 13,000 mark. In the meantime, the picture has also changed drastically in the sporty car world. Horsepower has taken a back seat. Fuel consumption has become the criterion. Prices have already fallen so far that there is no longer a single 100 hp car for 11,000 marks. At best, 80 to 85 hp can be bought. This development naturally also influenced this comparison test.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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