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Never This Nice: 1990 VW Corrado G60

This 1990 Volkswagen Corrado is an early production model, fitted with the supercharged G60 engine and rare ABS delete. While the lack of ABS is debatable in terms of value, some will see it as the most pure form of VW’s iconic 90s hot hatch. The seller notes a construction project and new car purchase demands winding down his collection, so this Corrado is a now available here on eBay with bidding over $4K and no reserve listed.

The Corrado came in two flavors, with the early models sporting a supercharged four-cylinder and the later cars coming with the company’s raucous VR6. While many will tell you the G60 was a ticking time bomb, this was more often caused by lack of maintenance than any particular design fault. The VR6s sound better (my opinion) but the G60 is a truly novel piece of early 90s engineering.

I suppose the G60 also gets me a bit nostalgic for 90s-era VWs because it wasn’t used widely across the lineup. Numerous European-market only specials were fitted with different versions of the scroll-type supercharger-equipped engine, including the 4WD Golf Rallye, while the VR6 did duty in numerous NA-spec applications, including the Passat and Jetta. Check out the interior – it’s mint.

Finding these Corrados in anything other than beater-ific condition is a trick, and few of them have been treated to a life of luxury like this car has. The seller notes he has swapped out the original radio and wheels for aftermarket products, including BBS replica alloys – which is my biggest gripe, as the OEM wheels look fantastic and replicas have a tendency to bend. Other than that, likely one of the best G60s left.

Comments

  1. Avatar Jason

    These cars are gorgeous and I almost bought a VR6 about 15 years ago, but judging from people I know who have owned them, they’re money pits to the extreme. Several things are always broken.

    Like 4
  2. Avatar Farhvergnugen Member

    I think I once aided and abetted in the theft of a yellow G60. This young fellow was driving down my very residential street and if I recall couldn’t complete a three-point turn. Since I knew how to drive a manual I got him going again in the intended direction.

    I thought for a long time afterwards that I should have checked the police blotter in the paper, or engaged him in conversation about the car to see how he got stuck and to whom the car really belonged.

    Ah, well, political correctness and with my prints on the wheel and the shifter,…

    Like 4
  3. Avatar Ike Onick

    And to think VW replaced the Scirocco with this blob.

    Like 1
    • Avatar John

      This is so much better looking than a Scirocco, IMO. Also a blast to drive.

      Like 2
      • Avatar Ike Onick

        I’ll take the Scirocco 16V with the glorious wedge shape any day. but I’m an “OK Boomer” Each to his/her own.

        Like 2
  4. Avatar Hellenic Vanagon

    #1 g60 vs vr6: comparison here: http://www.vwsyncro.eu/p/g60-vs-vr6.html

    #2 the Teves II ABS, just in the case someone needs to re-energize: http://www.vwsyncro.eu/p/the-teves-ii-abs.html

    #3 A 4doors, 4wd, climatronic Corrado: the Passat Syncro g60 here: http://www.vwsyncro.eu/p/blog-page_72.html

    The Syncro Heresy

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Louis Chen

    I once owned a Scirocco and this Corrado with the VR6! The Scirocco was much better! What VW tried to do was trying to come up with a compact V-6 which was pretty much of disaster because of it’s extreme angle of cylinders, I believe it was only 15 degrees. Being a VW guy I later bought a 2014 GTI which is a blast to drive. It was a good decision for VW not to come out with more of these small “sports” coupe.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Ike Onick

      You strike me as a really smart guy.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar John

    According to Wikipedia, the VR6 engine was used in about 25 models over the years, including Audis and early Cayennes, and is still used in the Atlas. So Im not sure it was a “disaster.”
    My Corrado experience was with a G60, which had it’s own issues when old, but was still a great drive.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar JohnS

    This looks well cared for and cheap for what you get.
    Agreed on the positive reliability and performance story of the VR6 engine.
    Stories aplenty from friends in both the UK and Australia of that 2.8 litre vee-six shoe-horned into a Golf Mk3 (Rabbit to some) turning it into a 172 BHP sleeper to be reckoned with.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar fstedie

    I modified/fixed my VR6 Corrado for 15 years and when it was dialed in, it was a blast to drive. After adding a centrifugal supercharger to the VR6 and upgrading the suspension it was on par with the M3 of the time. But as another reader mentioned, something was always breaking. I learned a lot about cars by owing it. Alas, after sitting for a couple of years I finally decided to sell it.

    Like 0

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