In the early 1990s, Volkswagen faced a challenge: how to combine the power of a six-cylinder engine with the compactness of a four-cylinder engine. The Corrado, introduced in 1988 as a more upscale alternative to the Scirocco, was built on the mk2 Golf chassis and completely replaced it four years later. At its introduction, the fastest Corrado model was the 158bhp supercharged four-cylinder G60. However, in 1992, the Corrado VR6 was introduced, which added even more intrigue to the model. The “VR” in the name stands for V-Reihenmotor, which refers to a V-Inline cylinder architecture. Although this seems contradictory, the engine is actually a narrow-angle V6 with a displacement of 2861cc and two offset banks of cylinders that are 15 degrees apart. Unlike a traditional V6, there is only one cylinder head, but it functions like an inline six. The result is a six-cylinder engine that is significantly shorter than a straight six and narrower than a standard V6. Its size is more similar to a four-cylinder engine, making it easy to fit into a Golf floorplan. This innovative solution is technically sound and almost brilliant in its execution.
VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO VR6
