If our quintet of coupes could be likened to the cast of an American high school movie, the Rover would be the slightly dorky one with a heart of gold; the Calibra, the blue-collar hero from a tough background; the Fiat, the Latin heartthrob with a fiery temper, and the Nissan, the athletic one who wasn't much to look at but could run a five-minute mile.
Then there's the VW Corrado. Stylish, talented and blessed with a sucker punch, it's the cool kid; the car everyone wanted to be friends with. Women wanted to be with it, and men wanted to be it. Or something. Anyway, you get the picture.
It was simple, really. Not only could the Corrado boast lantern-jawed looks that eschewed the 1990s trend for soft curves in favour of chunky haunches and a bluff front end, but it was also endowed with a chassis adored for its forgiving nature, communicative steering, and ability to flatter its driver.
Based on the Mk2 Golf, at launch in 1988 it was made available with a choice of 1.8 8v and 16v engines. These weren't all that quick, and to remedy this, Volkswagen added a G60 model to the range in short order, its supercharged 1.8-litre 8v providing a brisk 160hp kick.
But it wasn't until 1992 that the Corrado got the engine it would become best-known for, when the G60 was replaced by the 2.9-litre, 190hp VR6. This was the engine that made the car, its thumping mid-range punch giving the Corrado the power to truly thrill along a back road.
It wasn't alone, either; at the same time, the 1.8-litre engines were phased out in favour of 2.0-litre equivalents, with the 16-valve version taken from the Mk3 Golf GTI. While slower than the VR6, this Corrado-lite was no less involving, and today represents excellent value if you can't stretch to the flagship.
Corrados are, on the whole, dependable old beasts, with the obvious exception being the G60 model. Even frequent rebuilds aren't enough to save the G60 engine, because casings wear and the supercharger ends up becoming a (very expensive) service part. The 2.0-litre models are decent, but the VR6 is the engine you want.
There are few caveats with the Corrado, but also a lot to like. Plus with a huge fanbase and network of parts suppliers as part of the vast Volkswagen enthusiast scene, it's one of the best-supported cars here. Finally, with prices now starting to soar for the very best examples, investment potential is assured. Seems the cool kid of the group still has a lot going for him.
Buy if: you want the best all-rounder here
Don't buy if: ...um... we're struggling...
We found: 1996 VR6, black, 44,000 miles, full VW service history, 2 owners, £14,950
Price Guide
Poor: £2,000
Good: £3,000-£20,000
A1: £25,000