Was the VW Corrado a better Scirocco?!?

When the Corrado burst on the scene in the late 80’s I was a massive VW fanboy, but even I was left scratching my head on this one. This car, that looked like a mk2 Golf, from memory, was being sold for more than £20,000 ($27,000 USD, €22,000, $36,500 AUD)! That thousands more than the Scirocco that I occasionally got to drive and adored. And with the same engine shoehorned into a Golf, the Corrado wasn’t any quicker. Just who was the car aimed at? Volvo owners who wanted a boxy sports car?
So just why did this car come about, and what’s the Corrado’s legacy?

Music: "Get Tough" by "TrackTribe" from the YouTube Audio Library.

#bigcar

[claywilliams]

Wanted a Corrado as a kid in the 90s, was a dream car for me. At 43, I finally have a 90 g60. It's broken a lot, but I still love it.

[BenjaminGrimley]

I worked for VAG in the UK from 1988 to 1990
I sold a load of Corrado´s. I called up all my clients who had GTis and went round to see them in the new Corrado.
At one point, I was told that I had sold more then another VAG salesman. (That may have just been my sales manager bigging me up) But it ended up with me being nicknamed "The Corrado Kid" They even gave me one to use as my personal demonstrator/company car.
I loved the Corrado.

[darrenhudson]

Drove mine as a daily for 13 years and loved every minute. 1 car I will always miss.

[mightymiata]

Corrado is a stunning car, timeless design, premier build quality by Karmann Coachbuilders. It only had one major overcoming, it was expensive and it still is.

[tetchuma]

I have never heard of an VW fans ever talk down about the Corrado. Truly a great car at the wrong time.
In the early 90’s, my mom wanted to trade in our Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser wood panel wagon, much to my 6yo protests. I had always been a fan of Herbie, so I said if she was gonna trade in “my car” (because I had the whole cargo area of that huge Oldsmobile to myself) then she needed to get a Volkswagen.
I lost the argument, and she instead bought a base model, white, 1990 Ford Escort wagon. It looked like a white dog turd, and drove like it looked. No power anything! Not even a tape deck! That was the first time I got so mad at my mom, that I didn’t talk to her for over a week. Luckily, it was a first-year-redesign Ford, so it was in the shop all the time. Even being 6yo, I had mastered my, “your new car breaks down a lot more than our 1983 Oldsmobile, doesn’t it?” face. It would eventually turn into my “I told you so” face.
She told me years later that she regretted getting that horrible Escort wagon and said that she should have listened to me and gotten a Volkswagen. I said, “I knew you would regret it.”
She always takes me car shopping with her now.

[BirdArvid]

My dad bought his first new car around 1990, and he and I took the train/ferry to Osnabrück where the Karmann factory is. We were treated to a visit to the museum and saw some of the Corrado's and their trademark VW campers being put together, before OUR Corrado G60 was rolled out, someone still polishing the dark green metallic paint. My dad was like a small child when he was given the keys and we drove off, north on the Autobahn with the sunroof open to catch that evenings ferry to Scandinavia. As a little treat I was given a model Corrado in the same green colour as the real one. Ten years later I bought it off him and drove it in Northern Bavaria, Germany where I was working. My future wife and I would whizz down the Autobahn (yes, north of 125Miles/Hr sometimes..!) to Nürnberg to have dinner and catch an english-speaking film at a cinema there which showed films in the original version. Those were the days.. I got so little for it when we sold it, I wish to this day I'd've kept it. Life's full of regrets.. It was a lovely car to drive, and the thing I remember the most was the wonderful mid-range torque; on the Landstraße there was never a need to use the gearbox; just floor the pedal and it would surge forward to overtake effortlessly. At high revs it sounded a little strained but still went like a bat outta hell. Best car I've ever had.

[TheSaabClinicUK]

The Corrado's interior was actually from the Passat of that era, namely the Passat GT.

[inPrincipleGames]

As a Lancia owner, I appreciate the effort in pronouncing it correctly. Well done.

[theodor]

I've always thought the Corrado was a fantastic looking car. Especially the VR6 model.

[Veritas]

The “automatic” seat belts were briefly used in the U.S. by several manufacturers as a temporary substitute for airbags had been mandated by the government.

[martinodendaal]

The Corrado is still one of the most beautiful cars ever designed. I just wished they sold it in South Africa

[solid]

This car was my 1st car purchase out of college in 1991 in NY. I absolutely loved it and gave me a smile everytime I drove it for the 6 years I owned it. Everytime when I drove it, and without fail, people would race around to give me a thumbs up, or approach me in the parking lot to ask me what type of car it was. That was Fahrvergnügen...😏

[gettysburg]

I bought a lightly used 93 Corrado SLC toward the end of 1993. To this day, it's still the most favorite car I've owned (probably will ever own)

[joannaatkins]

VW enthusiasts love the corrado, but I've never seen the attraction myself. My grandfather had two mk2 VW Sciroccos and they hold a special place in my heart. He got them up to near enough 400, 000 miles

[BigCar]

Erratum: The G-Lader's displacer depth was 60mm, not 60cm.
Also, a few people noted that the motorised seat belts were to get around US legislation that required an active safety device, and instead of air bags they introduced these as a stopgap.
The whole "wind" vs "sport" naming for the Polo & Golf is contentious. Road & Track says it's winds, German Stern says it's sports. If anyone has a definitive answer from VW, please let me know.

[indiebekonn]

Unpopular opinion here but I would love to have that breadvan corrado thing!

[corysekine-pettite]

I've always liked that car. I actually had the chance once to drive a VR6 model, and it didn't disappoint.

[shebbs]

Drove one in Germany about 15 years ago, was a fine car. Never saw them here in Australia.

[chrisrutherford]

Nice man Putting 4 wheel drive in my Corrado G60 1992 Like the car so much I imported it to Australia 11 years ago with me and the family.

[j.m.]

Worked alongside a mechanic who owned a Silver Corrado SLC w/ black interior. Thing was fire for sure!