Five Classic Trials

Volkswagen Corrado VR6

1 DAILY DRIVING

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to use the Corrado every day. Find one that’s been well looked after and it should be more than capable of racking up high mileages. The dashboard materials and switches are sturdy, too, and there’s even enough room in the back for a couple of adults to sit back happily on shorter trips. The boot is plenty big enough for a couple of shopping bags – though it’s not quite as deep as a standard Golf’s – and the rear seats fold down for added practicality.

2 IN THE SERVICE BAY

The key here is to find a Corrado that’s been pampered, has a healthy wedge of service history and intact trim. Pick up one that’s neglected and it’ll feel decidedly out-ofsorts on roads where it should shine, and the supply of spare parts isn’t as healthy as it was a decade ago. But find yourself a good one, keep it serviced regularly and it should be a straightforward car to look after. Parts commonality with the Golf MkII and the wealth of VW specialists both help, too.

3 ON THE SHOW CIRCUIT

There’s long been a healthy event scene for owners of classic Volkswagens – the Corrado will be welcomed with open arms at Beaulieu’s Simply VW show on 17 June, for instance, while later on this summer there are Volkswagen-specific events at Tatton Park in Cheshire and Harewood House, near Leeds. It’s well worth signing up with the Corrado Club of Great Britain, too – it regularly attends classic and marque-specific shows across the country and offers plenty of support for owners.

4 THE LONG WEEKEND

The VR6’s performance means that it’s more than capable of keeping up with today’s traffic and will happily settle down on longer motorway trips without feeling strained. The ride is firm but the driving position and supportive seats are comfortable on longer journeys, though we suspect that any adults sharing the journey in the back seats probably won’t be as enamoured. It’ll happily head to the Nürburgring over a couple of hours from Calais – and you’ll have a ball when you get there.

5 THE B-ROAD BLAST

The VR6’s rev-happy power, communicative steering and supple suspension make the range-topping Corrado a joy on twisting roads. It’s a car that comes alive in this sort of territory – more so than the Golf that shares its narrow-angle V6 – and makes you want to carry on scouting out more bends on which to enjoy its dynamic talents. It’s one of the best-sorted coupés of its era and more entertaining on a B-road, we’d argue, than a Vauxhall Calibra or Ford Probe.