JE Design tunes the VW Scirocco

The VW Scirocco is an amazing hatchback and has gotten many VW fans begging for the car to be sold in the United States. It's introduction was critically acclaimed in magazines across the world. Out of that has sprung an active aftermarket for the car. Sometimes cars come along that provide a great canvas for tuners do work on; the Scirocco is one of those cars.

Unfortunately, we still aren't getting it in the United States. Something about exchange rates and competition with the GTI I guess. Too bad, because it's a seriously desirable car. I think we'll end up seeing it here someday though.

JE Design has a package for the gasoline-powered Scirocco as well as the diesel version. Their latest work is on the Scirocco TDI models however, working to give each an extra boost in the performance department.  The base TDI unit in the Scirocco makes 140 horsepower and the higher performance one in the GT makes 170. JE Design's tuning bumps each to 180 (0-60 time cut by nearly a second to 8.4) and 205 horsepower (cut to 7.1 seconds), respectively.

These changes are welcome as the Scirocco could use to be a bit quicker on the TDI's base end, with the 0-60 time for that car above 9 seconds. In addition to power upgrades, JE Design offers a fully body kit and even gullwing doors for $2,177 extra (€1,549 - current exchange rates). The overall package as you see in the pictures will run for a steep $12,800 asking price (€9,110.00).

But, you can decide to get parts of the package individually. The engine upgrades on the 140 horsepower model will set you back $1755 (€1,249) and $2,036 for the 170 horsepower GT (€1,449). If I had a Scirocco TDI (.....and lived in Europe. Ha!) the horsepower upgrades would be of definite interest to me.