1996 Volkswagen Corrado VR6 VSR

Arriving in late 1991 the VR6-engined version of the Volkswagen Corrado was hailed by CAR magazine as one of '25 cars you must drive before you die’, while Auto Express rated it as among ‘VW’s best ever drivers’ cars’. Sharing the same handsome Herbert Schafer-penned silhouette as its four-cylinder siblings, the newcomer sported a wider front track so as to accommodate its six-cylinder powerplant. Responsible for inspiring VAG’s later Bentley W12 and Bugatti W16 designs, the freshly developed engine featured an unusually narrow Vee angle of 15 degrees meaning that it only need a single cylinder head. Sonorous and punchy, it produced some 188bhp and 181lb/ft of torque and was allied to either 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. Equipped with MacPherson struts up front and trailing arms plus a torsion beam at the rear, the manual VR6 was reputedly capable of 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds and 145mph; seriously impressive figures during the early 1990s and still respectable today.

More impressive, and much rarer, is the Corrado VR6 VSR – an upgrade that was dropped before production on cost grounds and was instead offered as an aftermarket option. The 2.9-litre VR6 engine was originally designed to benefit from a dual-tract variable-length inlet manifold called VSR (German: ‘Variables SaugRohr’) and was made by Pierburg for Volkswagen Motorsport, giving extra low-down torque. A very rare and highly desirable genuine VW modification

The car presented here is one of these rare VSR models, having previously had long-term ownership by a Corrado Club GB member, and has been known to the club for a decade or more, having previously been displayed as a 'best of breed' example at the NEC Classic Car Show. The car has covered just 49,893 miles (atoc) and is described by our vendor as in ‘virtually concours condition throughout’, having gone through a fully documented and photographed rebuild (between 2011-2013) for apparently no other reason than making it as perfect as possible. Indeed, the underneath is said to be immaculate, as too is the full grey leather interior.

Accompanying the car are five folders full of information, service history, photographs and receipts. It was during its rebuild it had fitted the genuine VW Motorsport VSR kit which varies, via a vacuum system, the inlet manifold tracts improving the driveability of the car and increasing power (now 212bhp from dyno tests within the history folders). There is a full stainless-steel genuine VW exhaust system fitted also, to further aide power. Another key improvement is the addition of KW fully adjustable coil-overs all round carried out by the current owner that sensibly improves the stance and handling.

The car is understood to drive wonderfully, with a sonorous exhaust bark as it reaches the higher end of the rev range, the current owner having used it for trips to the Lake District, Northern Ireland and France in recent years.

Corrado aficionados will note the ASB light goes out promptly and the sunroof works flawlessly.

The ‘VSR’ number plate is included in the sale.

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