Classic cars with history: Volkswagen Corrado

The Volkswagen Corrado is one of those cars that are missed greatly. Conceived by Volkswagen but built by Karmann, it is one of the last cars of the brand that carried the seal of the famous coachbuilder, now almost disappeared. One of those models that is a pleasure to see on the streets (even though there aren’t very many of them), continuing a very striking coupé styling that had begun with the Scirocco in 1974.

The Corrado went on sale in 1988 with the well-known and almost immortal 1.8 16-valve engine as its base engine, which later received a turbo and took on the name G60 in its designation. Later the German brand incorporated the 2.0-litre 16-valve engine from the Volkswagen Golf, along with the powerplant that would steal the hearts of many, the 2.9-litre VR6 (2.8 litres and less power in the USA).

Outside, it was a coupé with a design that drew attention wherever it went, since at the end of the 80s there was no head that didn’t turn to look at you if you were driving a Corrado. And while the turbocharged G60 version didn’t accelerate as quickly as it seemed, the naturally aspirated VR6 put things in their place: 7.2 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 was nothing to scoff at for a coupé from 1992.

The Corrado VR6 held its own on the roads; although the VR6 was very good in a straight line, it lost out in corners to the G60 because of the heavier weight of the six-cylinder. With all this, the famous VR6 became a cult object whose shadow loomed over the Corrado.

However, if there was one thing the Corrado was guilty of, it was being very expensive, along with high fuel consumption. Towards the end of its life, Volkswagen made an almost desperate attempt to make it more accessible, with a version featuring a 2.0-litre 8-valve engine, of which only 213 units were sold. By mid-1994, Volkswagen was already considering cancelling it, given that the new entry-level model was not selling as they had hoped.

The Corrado was liked by everyone, but it was still a car that was not for everyone, and it became just another model entering its decline. Although sales in the USA were going quite well, it was decided to cancel it in both markets simultaneously. In Europe there was still room for special VR6 versions that today are the most sought after by collectors, among them the Corrado Storm, of which 500 units were built between 1994 and 1995.