RE: Volkswagen Corrado VR6: PH Heroes
Discussion
pits said:
The Corrado had loads going for it, good engine and based on the MK2 Golf Chassis but it just looks a bit crap, almost as if in the clay model stage of design someone accidentally lifted the model by the rear end and bent it upwards and told no one.
It was designed like that to evoke memories of the Mark 1 Scirocco, rather than the rather austere Mark 2!I remember seeing one of these driving around our neighbourhood as a child - they looked expensive, sounded big and powerful and I remember that spoiler being the ultimate in cool.
Quite a stylish, sophsticated and actually relatively expensive car in my eyes.
Nice to see so many cherished examples out there.
That engine - lovely. Totally agree that the VR6 is a great engine.
Quite a stylish, sophsticated and actually relatively expensive car in my eyes.
Nice to see so many cherished examples out there.
That engine - lovely. Totally agree that the VR6 is a great engine.
My uncle had 3x Corrado's a 16v, a VR6, and a VR6 Storm in Green - when he sold it he offered it to me as first refusal which i was very keen to buy at the time as he looked after them well & drove only a few miles.
Unfortunately i had recently sold my Saab 900 Turbo for a Rover 620Ti (i know) and recall feeling rather under whelmed by the VR6 on an extensive test drive, the engine in particular did not feel its full quota of bhp, although this may may be down to the turbo torque i had become used too, and the handling didn't feel particularly inspiring even after the Rover, which was probably better than it should have been So i didn't make the change at the time.
Hindsight is a great thing!
Unfortunately i had recently sold my Saab 900 Turbo for a Rover 620Ti (i know) and recall feeling rather under whelmed by the VR6 on an extensive test drive, the engine in particular did not feel its full quota of bhp, although this may may be down to the turbo torque i had become used too, and the handling didn't feel particularly inspiring even after the Rover, which was probably better than it should have been So i didn't make the change at the time.
Hindsight is a great thing!
I always wanted one, but I had to settle for the 2.8 Golf VR6, the 2.9 was a lot better though.
When I moved on from my VR6, being young poor and a bit silly I wanted something to tune up into some fire spitting thing and the VR6 wasn't great for that - yeah you could get loads for them, but it was all crazy money. The fancy inlet manifold mentioned about was £2000 from memory and gained you 20bhp maybe 30bhp - you could spend £200 on a 'chip' for a Turbo engine and jump 50Bhp or more.
The writer wasn't kiding about the job to replace the timing chain, took us 2 full days.
When I moved on from my VR6, being young poor and a bit silly I wanted something to tune up into some fire spitting thing and the VR6 wasn't great for that - yeah you could get loads for them, but it was all crazy money. The fancy inlet manifold mentioned about was £2000 from memory and gained you 20bhp maybe 30bhp - you could spend £200 on a 'chip' for a Turbo engine and jump 50Bhp or more.
The writer wasn't kiding about the job to replace the timing chain, took us 2 full days.
Andy JB said:
My uncle had 3x Corrado's a 16v, a VR6, and a VR6 Storm in Green - when he sold it he offered it to me as first refusal which i was very keen to buy at the time as he looked after them well & drove only a few miles.
Unfortunately i had recently sold my Saab 900 Turbo for a Rover 620Ti (i know) and recall feeling rather under whelmed by the VR6 on an extensive test drive, the engine in particular did not feel its full quota of bhp, although this may may be down to the turbo torque i had become used too, and the handling didn't feel particularly inspiring even after the Rover, which was probably better than it should have been So i didn't make the change at the time.
Hindsight is a great thing!
I should think the suspension was tired if that is the case, the Corrado is one of the most inspiring front wheel drive cars I've driven. Not quite as capable as a DC2 Integra, but a much nicer car to drive on the road. Unfortunately i had recently sold my Saab 900 Turbo for a Rover 620Ti (i know) and recall feeling rather under whelmed by the VR6 on an extensive test drive, the engine in particular did not feel its full quota of bhp, although this may may be down to the turbo torque i had become used too, and the handling didn't feel particularly inspiring even after the Rover, which was probably better than it should have been So i didn't make the change at the time.
Hindsight is a great thing!
Great little cars, a bit like the Puma in many respects.
I've owned my Valver for nearly 7 years now, definitely getting on in age now though! (1990 on 183k)
Word of advice for anyone considering one, don't buy a neglected one unless you have a lot of time on your hands. Certain parts are nigh on impossible to track down, but the VR6 does have a few more options than the valvers for replacement bits due to the performance market.
I've owned my Valver for nearly 7 years now, definitely getting on in age now though! (1990 on 183k)
Word of advice for anyone considering one, don't buy a neglected one unless you have a lot of time on your hands. Certain parts are nigh on impossible to track down, but the VR6 does have a few more options than the valvers for replacement bits due to the performance market.
I'm a big fan of the VR6, the engine sounds splendid.
In handling terms however, having owned both (and both 16v variants too), I prefer the G60.
Then there's that supercharger noise too....
Bias is freely acknowledged here, but I've still got the G60 after 2.5 years, whereas the VR6 went after a year!
Lovely car in the article btw.
Cheers,
Tom
In handling terms however, having owned both (and both 16v variants too), I prefer the G60.
Then there's that supercharger noise too....
Bias is freely acknowledged here, but I've still got the G60 after 2.5 years, whereas the VR6 went after a year!
Lovely car in the article btw.
Cheers,
Tom
Always liked the look of the Corrado and that funky rear spoiler.
Seen a few 16v examples knocking around the £1500 mark, and was thinking of buying one just to tick the box. VR6 / G60 would be nice, but of course, they are at a different prive level.
Seen a few 16v examples knocking around the £1500 mark, and was thinking of buying one just to tick the box. VR6 / G60 would be nice, but of course, they are at a different prive level.
Edited by pSyCoSiS on Wednesday 1st March 15:40
Ran one for 14 years and it was the top-viewed car profile on PistonHeads for many years (helped in part by it being one of PetrolTed's Top Picks).
Mine was putting out around 230bhp in final Naturally Aspirated guise, with a Schrick VGI, 268° Schrick cams, enlarged throttle body, high compression steel head gasket, Milltek exhaust, and ECU remap to Super Unleaded. It also had a shorter final drive for better acceleration, a brake upgrade, and coilover suspension.
Great cars.
Mine was putting out around 230bhp in final Naturally Aspirated guise, with a Schrick VGI, 268° Schrick cams, enlarged throttle body, high compression steel head gasket, Milltek exhaust, and ECU remap to Super Unleaded. It also had a shorter final drive for better acceleration, a brake upgrade, and coilover suspension.
Great cars.
Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Wednesday 1st March 15:49
mmm-five said:
Mine was 230bhp and 245lb/ft - really wanted a supercharger, but they didn't seem that reliable or produced the promised power.
I also had the big-valve head, enlarged throttle body and AMD VGI controller so that I could get more than one opening/closing point. All done at AMD in Oddington whilst still owned by Mike & Geoff.
I've said this before many times, but considering the pittance you got for it when you sold it, I still wish I'd bought it from you for that price, moved the choicer parts from yours over to mine, and then sold yours on as (more) standard-ish. I also had the big-valve head, enlarged throttle body and AMD VGI controller so that I could get more than one opening/closing point. All done at AMD in Oddington whilst still owned by Mike & Geoff.
ClockworkCupcake said:
I've said this before many times, but considering the pittance you got for it when you sold it, I still wish I'd bought it from you for that price, moved the choicer parts from yours over to mine, and then sold yours on as (more) standard-ish.
All my cars have gone the same way though.Both M5s went for around £3k with 160k miles on them, and needing either engine rebuilds or EDC, bodywork & engine work.
Z4MC has been great, and has done 143k miles in my ownership. Up to 100k was under BMW warranty (thank god), and the next 50k miles have been relatively 'cheap' with the exception of a clutch & flywheel at 140k miles. It's probably worth pennies now, but I'll keep it until I'm desperate for cash or it needs a new engine.
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