Volkswagen Corrado

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Volkswagen Corrado

Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Parent company	Volkswagen Group
Production	1988-1996
Successor	Volkswagen Scirocco
Class	Sport compact
Body style(s)	3-door coupé
Layout	FF layout
Platform	hybrid Volkswagen Group A2 platform & B3 platform
Engine(s)	1.8L I4, 1.8L I4 Supercharged, 2.0L I4, 2.8L VR6, 2.9L VR6
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic
Related	Volkswagen Golf Volkswagen Jetta SEAT Toledo Mk1

The Volkswagen Corrado is a hatchback coupé developed by German automaker Volkswagen and built by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany between 1988 and 1995.

Conceived as a successor to the successful Scirocco, it is a three-door hatchback with a 2+2 seating layout. The Corrado used Volkswagen's B3 platform in the rear of the car, while using the A2 platform technology up front, which it shared with the then-current Golf Mk2 and Jetta. It shared many mechanical parts with other Volkswagen A platform cars as well. In 1990 the Corrado went on sale in the United States.

The Corrado offered exceptional handling for its time, and was listed as one of the "25 Cars You Must Drive Before You Die" by the British magazine, Car. All models featured an innovative rear spoiler which automatically raised when the vehicle reached a set speed (45–65 mph depending on the region). Perceived as too expensive, it reached a production total of just 97,521 vehicles according to VWCorrado.de. However, many owner clubs exist around the world, and it has become something of a modern classic.

Variants

All Corrados were front-wheel drive and featured petrol engines. It debuted with two engine choices: a 1.8 litre, 16-valve, inline-4 with 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) as the base model and a supercharged 1.8 litre, 8-valve inline-4, marketed as the G60, and delivering 160 PS (120 kW; 160 hp). The first engine was initially available only in Europe. The G60 is named for the G-Lader with which it is equipped, a scroll supercharger whose interior resembles the letter "G".

Volkswagen introduced two new engines for 1992. The first was a naturally aspirated 2.0 litre, 16 valve, 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) inline-4, basically a further development of the 1.8 litre engine. The second was the highly-regarded 2.8 litre, 12-valve, 174 PS (128 kW; 172 hp) VR6 engine, Specific to the United States. The Canadian and European market versions had a displacement of 2.9 litre and 190 PS (140 kW; 190 hp), which was sold side by side with the G60 for 1992. The G60 was dropped from the U.S. line-up the following year. The VR6 was revolutionary at the time because it combined the benefits of both V-shaped and straight engines, by placing the two cylinder banks at an angle of 15° with a single cylinder head. This design allowed engineers to fit a six-cylinder engine into roughly the same space that was previously occupied by four-cylinder engines.

Corrado VR6 with standard 15" Speedline wheels

In a last-ditch attempt to popularize the car, a 2.0 litre 8-valve model was produced in Europe in 1995. Its uninspiring performance did not make up for the impressive standard spec and lower price, and production ceased in Europe, with the UK-only limited production model, the Corrado VR6 Storm. Some discreet "Storm" badging, a colour-keyed front grille, 15 inch BBS "Solitude" alloy wheels, and standard fitment of some previously optional items (such as the leather heated front seats) were all that differentiated this model from the base Corrado VR6. Only 500 were produced, 250 in Classic Green, and 250 in Mystic Blue (unique to the Storm).

Reception and reviews

Rear-view

The Corrado was generally well received by the automotive press of its time^{[citation needed]}, yet failed to capture the hearts of the general public^{[citation needed]}. A high price tag, coupled with a marque that was not known at the time for producing sports cars^{[citation needed]} caused the Corrado to be looked over in favour of the other similarly priced, better known sports cars of its time^{[citation needed]}.

As of more recent years, the automotive press have shown high regard for the Corrado and its capabilities as a sports car. On the BBC television show Top Gear, host Richard Hammond stated that the Corrado "... drives as well as if not better than a lot of current cars" and also described it as "...properly quick". A recent article on MSN Auto lists the Corrado as one of eight "Cool Cars We Miss".

In 1991, the price of the Corrado was very comparable to the BMW 318.

Trivia

• Volkswagen Corrado SLC appears in 2005 Xbox racing game Forza Motorsport, as one of the starting cars in Europe region.

References

Cool Cars We Miss - MSN Autos Article

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Volkswagen Corrado

• [1] Informative and friendly site based in the Netherlands.
• Volkswagen.com corporate website
• The Corrado Club of Great Britain
• The Corrado VR6 Information Site
• Corrado World - Registry, Technical, etc
• "THE" Corrado Forum - an invaluable source of information and discussion for Corrado owners