Shed Of The Week: VW Corrado VR6

A superb ad and potentially a fantastic car; Shed serves up a gem with this Corrado

What's the most exciting Volkswagen model ever? Not the worthiest or the most capable, but the best all-round package, taking into account not only the mechanical bits and the chassis - areas in which VW has regularly excelled down the years - but also the style - an area in which VW has regularly been sort of OK you suppose.

Unmodified and nice colour adds to temptation

To save you the effort of thinking about it, Shed is very generously making his own suggestion. It's the car you're looking at just now: the Corrado VR6.

On sale from 1989 to 1995, the Corrado was reputedly named after the Spanish word correr, meaning to run. Volkswagen was originally thinking of calling it Taifun (typhoon) but GM had already registered that name for a truck. Corrado was the successor to VW's earlier two-door coupe, the Mk1 Scirocco. Actually, that's not strictly correct, as there was a period when both coupes were on the market at the same time. Also, the Corrado was a more upmarket machine. Challenging pricing ensured its niche status, especially at the more powerful end of the range.

What makes the VR6 special? Well, ever the radical, Shed was never all that excited by the VR6 engine, or by the long-throw, rather detached feel of the cable-operated gearshift. For Shed, it was all about the body shape. Non-VR6 Corrados were built on the standard Mk2 Golf platform, but the VR6 used different axle and suspension parts, giving it a wider front track. That necessitated some butch en-widening of the front wheel arches. Having done that, VW couldn't very well leave the rears as they were. The result was a squat, chunky bodyshell that still looks fresh to this day. When you see one as bone stock as this, it does make you wonder why so many Corrado owners felt inclined to fiddle about with them. Perhaps we should accept that, sometimes, the factories do get it right.

Used but presentable again inside

For most, the ultimate Corrado to corral is the blown G60 model, and why not? Bolting a supercharger onto the 8-valve 1.8 Golf four coaxed 160hp out of it. But a nice example of a G60 could easily rush you ten times the asking price of this pleasingly standard VR6, a car that out-muscles the G60 by 28hp.

Power isn't everything, mind ye: the six-pot is a somewhat weightier lump than the four, and at the end, middle and beginning of the day any Corrado is limited by its front-wheel driveyness. Even so, when the VR6s were first handed over to the serious motoring scribes, more than one of them put the VR6 in the top echelon of FWD performance cars.

This particular car won't fall into that category. Your man holding the V5 on behalf of his uncle is honestly describing it as a tired car. However, it is by a long way the cheapest VR6 currently on PH classifieds. The reasons for that are all (you hope) laid out with refreshing honesty in the ad. The suspension is declared baggy, but for a grand or so you can stick a set of Konis or similar under it, transform the ride and handling and still have luxurious amounts of financial headroom relative to the prices being asked for other VR6s. The small oil leak could be anything, from the crankshaft oil seal (a gearbox off job) to the sump gasket (easy) or the oil filter housing, which sounds like it too should be easy, but getting to the third of the three bolts holding it on is a pain if you haven't got the right wrench/extension combo. If the gearchange is too porridgey, there's a 20-minute adjustment you can carry out yourself on the other side of just two bolts.

Some work to do, yes, but look at it!

The vendor makes a very strong point about unmessed specimens being thin on the ground these days. Tired or not, that - plus its one-owner status - is the particular appeal of this car.

Many have nominated the Corrado as a sure-fire classic in waiting. The fact that they're still available at Shed money suggests that either (1) there's a bit more waiting to be done yet, or (2) that you should muscle in on this one right now. Shed reckons (2) and that you can't lose.

Here's the ad.

1992 'K' reg Volkswagen Corrado VR6 2861cc (190bhp)
One mature owner from new - I'm selling the car on behalf of my uncle who has now retired abroad.
- 141,800 miles
- Aqua Blue Pearl
- Original Speedline 15" alloy wheels
- Unmodified from original specification
- Road Tax expires end Feb 2015
- MOT expires end Jan 2015
- Seats and upholstery in good general condition, with no rips
- Car has not been smoked in
Lots of paperwork, including manuals, some service history, previous MOT certificates and original sales invoice, specification and dealer correspondence.
Areas needing attention:
- Small oil leak
- Alloy wheels require full refurbishment as are losing air
- Suspension would benefit from a refresh
- Drivers door lock has been replaced and no longer operates the central locking
- Some small dents and scuffs to the bodywork
- Steering wheel and gearknob leather has worn through
The car is in fair condition for its age, I can't see any corrosion to the bodywork and unmodified examples of the VR6 are rare. It could be used as a daily driver, but it would be better seen as a very good basis for a light restoration project. The car is a future classic and this is a reluctant sale.
If you have any questions please email me.
Many thanks!

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Trusty Steed

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194 months