It's taken its time, but it's here at long last. Launched in other markets around the world back in late 2009, waiting for Volkswagen's badboy Scirocco R has been an almost painful experience for me. As the owner of what used to be the rang-topper, the 2.0TSI, I've been curious - and, it has to be said, extremely nervous - about just how good it is. Will the car I know and love be consigned to the mental scrap bin, its reputation sullied by a few days behind the wheel of its faster, even better looking stable mate?
Not that there's anything at all wrong with my car, you understand. As regular readers will be aware, my Scirocco never fails to lift my spirits. It has proved to be a fun, engaging, reliable and inexpensive pocket rocket and, even after I've been driving the most exciting Italian exotica, I can't wait to get back behind its flat-bottomed wheel. Life without it has become unimaginable.
The R badge is reserved for hot VWs only and in Golf form it means four-wheel drive and 266hp, but the Scirocco has five fewer horses. It doesn't have the weighty four-wheel drive components, however, so it's slightly quicker. Essentially the R is fitted with the same 2.0L engine that mine has, but it's been beefed up with stronger internals and remapped for an extra 60hp. It has a different exhaust system with twin pipes protruding from either side of the car's rump; it has optional larger, exquisitely designed 19-inch alloy wheels that do a better job of filling the arches (it looks as though it sits lower but it doesn't) and there's a more aggressive front end, replete with daytime LED running lights and better, direction-sensitive bi-xenon headlamps. The rear lamps are smoked, the mirrors are gloss black and there are lovely side-skirts to complete the subtly macho transformation.
The changes aren't exactly numerous but they all combine to make the Scirocco R just that bit better in ever respect - on paper, at least. Drivers' cars don't get much better than the standard 'Rocco, no matter what price range you're looking at, so it's entirely possible that Volkswagen could have turned the R into something unmanageable and uninvolving. After all, over 260hp through the front wheels alone is usually a recipe for horrific torque-steer, where the wheels and the steering are at cross-purposes. It's frightening and unpleasant when it happens, but fortunately VW has fitted its XDS electronic differential to try to calm things down.
So, with a heavy heart, it's time to see if the R blows my baby into the weeds but at least my many months of experience with the TSI will provide an accurate point of reference. The first difference is most unwelcome: it's a keyless start and I stab fruitlessly at the steering column with the key. I hate these things. So the key fob will have to rattle around in the centre console's cup holder. Brake pedal depressed, I push the start/stop button and the straight-four rumbles into life. Immediately there's a sense that this car is the daddy. A deep bass tone fills the cabin - already I like it.
My first experience is the commute from Dubai to my office in Abu Dhabi - a journey I have made countless times in my own car, so I emerge to join the insanity of the E11 and hope against hope that the R is a let-down. It doesn't take more than a couple of minutes to realise that it isn't. It's the polar opposite of a let-down. Acceleration is effortless, with a mid-range punch that the TSI definitely lacks, combined with that deep, reverberating exhaust note to give the feeling that this is a significantly more powerful car. It just feels easier.
Overtaking is a doddle - with even the slightest flex of my right foot, the R simply devours what's ahead of it. Torque steer is completely absent and even when I keep the throttle nailed on a tight right-hander across one of the motorway's flyovers, it just digs in and gets around with no fuss, no drama and not even a hint of slip. It feels totally and utterly complete, as though my car has been hitting the gym for six months and everything is that bit stronger and more muscular. I've made a mistake; I've chosen the wrong car, haven't I?
I arrive in Abu Dhabi feeling slightly depressed; something that isn't lifted when I park up and take a look at it from outside. Even in its white paintwork, this thing looks the business, and I start to ponder making some changes to my own car to bring it more into line with the R. Those alloys would be a good starting point and maybe I'll get mine chipped for that extra oomph. Then I could get a new exhaust system to liberate that heady soundtrack. Would a few minor alterations give me the same experience? Possibly.
The more I drive the R, though, the more the differences become apparent, and it's not all bad news for my trusty steed. The acceleration, I now feel, is more laboured than the TSI's. Where my car responds like a scalded cat with a prod of its accelerator, the R feels a bit sluggish. I find that, to get the same feeling of urgency, I have to knock the DSG lever into sport mode. But then this car is fresh out of the box and it may take some time for it to loosen up. The thought of getting back into mine doesn't cause palpitations.
That's the thing about small sports cars such as this: you can modify a lesser model quite easily if you want it to go and look better. They're engineered beyond their factory-standard specifications and, provided you don't go too mad, you can tweak them for some extra punch or for a more satisfying soundtrack. The R I have on test is not fitted with the optional Adaptive Chassis Control - something that tends to blight the experience of driving the standard 2.0L - and it isn't required here, either. The ride is indeed firmer but it's never jarring or uncomfortable. On the contrary, it's just the right side of stiff and gives the R real poise when tackling corners and under hard braking.
The black interior of this test car can be a bit oppressive but apart from the odd detail its design is exactly the same as my own. The sound system is better, the gauge illumination and digital displays are more modern, but that's about it. It's a better car; there's no denying it. But it isn't that much better. Spending a few days with it has been a bit like meeting your wife's sister for the first time and realising she's a bit better looking, a bit racier, a bit more fun. But as a long term partner, you're perfectly happy with what you've got. That's a nice feeling - let the good times roll.
Price, base / as tested Dh125,000
Engine 2.0L turbo inline four
Gearbox Six-speed DSG
Power 261hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 8.0L/100km
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
RESULTS FOR STAGE 4
Stage 4 Dubai to Hatta, 197 km, Road race.
Overall leader Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal) 2. Matteo Moschetti ITA (Trek - Segafredo) 3. Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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