Corrado: the sporty coupé in the wake of the Golf

A wind of unashamed sportiness blows through the Golf: the Corrado

The coupé derived from the Golf became less angular, with a softer design and a Cd of 0.32, thanks to more aerodynamic lines.

The 911 was not in its sights, but rather the FEPs (Front-Engined Porsches) that were the Porsche 924 and the Porsche 944.

1988: the first coupé to come out was the Corrado G60; it hit 225 km/h: it was the fastest VW ever sold.

Volkswagen perhaps set the price bar a little too high compared with other cars, whether German or Japanese; the G60 was more expensive than an E30 325i 6-cylinder of 171 hp.

Say "special programme" and you say small series, and say technological novelties and you say "it's going to sting". To limit its production costs, VW dipped into the bank of parts already on its shelves. Engine and gearbox, among others, were taken from the Golf 2 and the Passat at first, then from the Golf 3 later.

And what is it like behind the wheel?

The Corrado is lived in from the front seats, the rear seats being made rather for small frames; even so, you are more comfortable there than in the back of a Porsche 911.

Inside, the Recaro seats (optional) make you feel you are about to take your place in a GT. The cockpit controls put you at ease, as in a BMW. You sit low, no doubt about it, you are getting into (down into?) a sporty-leaning GT. Its quietness in operation is worth highlighting, the Corrado is very well insulated.

On the fun side … think again, the interior is rather austere, especially in black (on black).

A delight for the eye… the rear spoiler, which you see rise at 120 in your rear-view mirror, gives you the feeling that you can rival that of a Porsche 964 of the same era.

A point to note: this coupé is front-wheel drive. The weight is less well distributed than on a transaxle 924 or 944 (front engine and rear gearbox) and you feel it when cornering hard, where the Corrado tends to oversteer; its suspension lacks firmness.

As for sensations, it will depend on the engine; each version brings a different driving pleasure; you will find the one that matches your personality.

A 160 hp G60 accelerates hard without kicking you in the backside. The 1800 8s is fitted with a 60mm scroll-type positive-displacement supercharger (G)… hence its name. It has the advantage of being progressive, constant in delivering power and torque. A drawback over time: the reliability of the supercharger if it is not serviced and if warm-up times are not respected.

Once you have tasted the supercharger's growl … it is hard to do without. In short, the G60 is quiet strength.

Two 136 hp 16s engines: a 1,800 and, from 1992, a 2L, which come alive past 4,000 rpm, and are a little hollow below (less so on the 2.0L).

The 1,800 comes straight from the Golf 2 GTi 16s. Its KR engine with K-Jet mechanical injection and twin overhead camshafts is fierce; it delivers all its power at 6,100 rpm and propels the coupé to 208 km/h. The maximum power of the torquier 2L 9A comes earlier, at 5,800 rpm.

A 190 hp VR6 … the summit, with its capacity raised to 2.9L (taken from the Golf 3 VR6 Syncro). This engine is pure (V)Wagner: it is powerful and has a bewitching sound. The VR6 is often described as a landmark engine; it is very compact, presented as a "V engine laid in line" with its narrow 15° angle and its single cylinder head.

It lets the coupé fly at 235 km/h and dispatch 0 to 100 in 6.9 seconds; not bad for the time.

Maxence knows something about this: he discovered that sound at the wheel of a Golf 4 R32 and never stopped looking for it, until a Corrado VR6 gave it back to him.

A 2.0L 8s … is good for cruising cool. It is a square, torquey engine that takes you along as in a base 924; you are not going to race with its 115 hp.

Whichever engine you choose, even with high mileage, it will be reliable. At that time, VW (like other manufacturers) made solid engines built to last and tested them before selling them.