I've got a 16V 'rocco AND a Syncro Van. The van is essentially
unmodified and has bad shocks and is the 2nd most capable off-roader
I've ever been in anyway.
The Scirocco is a spectacular car on-road. It's OK on hard-packed dirt,
but you'll lose your fillings. I suspect that with aggressive tires, it
would handle 1cm of mud just fine, or looser dirt, provided you don't
attempt to drive over a rock bigger than perhaps 3 inches tall. My Jetta
with essentially identical  suspension does fine in the rougher stuff,
but not nearly as good as any of my old beetles did.
The first-most-capable off-roader I've been in is a monstrously modified
old full-size Jeep, but since his tranny and front drive shaft blew up,
I guess the Syncro wins...
-Simon

PS. where is this Scirocco list?

On Thursday, July 25, 2002, at 12:27  PM, pensioner wrote:

> Uh huh, suuure... off road with a syncro?  Nah, we just follow those
> Lincoln
> Navigutters around to the latte shop, the haredresser (sic), the deli,
> and
> the Martha Stewart Origami lectures.
>
> Scheissroccos we usta callem.  The average beater Quantum Syncro can do
> wonders.  A reasonably modified syncro has the requisite ground
> clearance
> and torque to whopass all over most doodah SUVs.
>
> This fellow can visit John Wessels site www.euromog.com just to see
> what CAN
> be done.  Or he can show up at the next Syncro de Mayo and try his hand
> in
> person.
>
> I suspect he will be properly re-oriented in his thinking.
>
> pensioner (slave to a reasonably modified syncro)
>
> po' but proud
>