The impressive Corrado coupe makes an excellent and often overlooked alternative to the Golf. Sharing many of its hatch sibling’s best bits, its comfortable, usually quick and undeniably more sporty. Here’s a guide to what to look for when buying…

Volkswagen had tried to tap into the lucrative sportscar market with two former collaborations with Porsche, firstly with the inauspicious 914, then with the equally flaccid 924 – which started life as a VW project. When the Corrado was announced in the late ‘80s, it was a case of third time lucky.

Its pretty three-door coupe bodywork was penned in-house by VW Design and despite being based on the Mk2 Golf floorpan, it didn’t really echo other VW models at the time. And its neutral styling meant that it was able to last well into the production lifespan of the Mk3 as well.

Comfortable, without being too soft, yet responsive and nice to drive in many ways the engine choice dictates the Corrado’s character. The 1.8 is quick enough, great for everyday use and boasts lots of bottom end torque. The 16v version (available here from 1989) is even more agile, but arguably not as smooth. Meanwhile, the supercharged G60 engined model from 1991 is a total nutcase, highly strung and highly responsive to tuning. Then there was the lusty VR6 which replaced it in 1992. Creamy, smooth and devastatingly quick – it’s a true muscle car, but you’ll feel the pinch at the pumps…

Engines
While the 8v 1.8 isn’t desperately quick, it’s a unit that will go on forever if looked after. The 16v is the same, but watch for irratic idle which could be the stabilisation valve. Also, oily plugs and subsequent misfires may be as a result of leaky rocker cover gasket. Cambelts (and tensioners) should be changed every 60,000 miles. If you can’t find a recent receipt, get it done anyway.

As for the G60, the scroll type supercharger has a reputation for breaking and its general health will depend on the frequency of oil changes and the quality of oil used. Problems usually occur when the centre scroll Apex seals wear and come adrift of their grooved seatings and this can happen if the unit hasn’t been properly serviced. Basically, a G60 that’s low on boost or has oil in the boost pipe between the charger and intercooler should be viewed with suspicion. Recon units start at around £1000.

The lusty VR6 has a chain and are largely bombproof – although abused ones that have missed regular servicing may soon need a chain and tensioner replacement. Otherwise, check for blue smoke which points to bore wear – another reason, probably, to make a swift exit.

Running gear
Don’t worry too much about the rest of the car’s mechanicals, because everything is available and there’s huge scope to uprate. So if you find a car that needs new suspension bushes and the like, use that as a negotiating tool and invest the money you’ve just haggled off the price to buy yourself a stiffer setup.

ABS was standard on the VR6 and later G60s but optional on lesser models, so if this is important – choose appropriately. If the car you are looking at does have ABS, check there’s not persistent warning lights and the modules can go.

Bodywork
VW had its galvanising techniques well and truly mastered by the time the Corrado came around, so don’t expect any rot. However, surface blisters around the door edges, beneath the windscreen rubber, the sills, front valence and around the filler cap and side repeaters can spoil an otherwise tidy car.

Door mechanisms can break but you can buy replacements or swap them with those from the rear of a Passat.

One of the Corrado’s most popular party tricks involves the rear spoiler which should rise automatically once you hit roughly 55mph. If you need to flick the dash switch to get it to work, suspect the module or wiring. Otherwise, the mechanism itself could be at fault, in which case a good clean should do the trick.

Interior
Most of what’s inside the Corrado should look pretty familiar to VW enthusiasts, but that means it also shares some of the VW family’s inherent interior weaknesses – and by this we mean the heater matrix. Damp mats or lack of hot air isn’t a good sign. New matrixes aren’t expensive but it’s the labour involved that will bump up repair bill close to £200.

Seats should last, but sportier Recaros fitted to the G60 will probably be a bit tatty around the bolsters – and leather is always desirable. Otherwise it’s a case of making sure everything works as it should – and bargaining hard to cover the cost of replacing anything that doesn’t.

What to pay
Ok, here comes the crunch. Because only around 9000 Corrados made it to these shores, it holds a certain rarity value – and of course the sportier models will always command a premium.

While we wouldn’t necessarily recommend the asthmatic 8v 1.8, you’ll probably be able to pick one up cheap with prices starting at as little as £1,000. You could always grab a solid car for very little money then carry out an engine transplant – the sky really is the limit as far as what you can do in this area.

The 16v is so much better, and usually not a lot more money – the starting price for a reasonable one is £2,000 with really nice ones changing hands for double this.

The VR6 and G60 models are the most sought after, but still don’t’ fetch silly money. In fact, the cheapest VR6 we’ve seen recently was a 130k Dragon Green metallic ’95 example on AutoTrader for just £3400, with the best VR6s making up to £8,000-£9,000. G60s appear much rarer at the moment, and you’ll probably need to part with at least £5,000 for one devoid of major issues. As always, with any Corrado, you buy on condition – as well as proof of regular care and attention in the workshop.

Happy hunting…

Ian

The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of VW Heritage