German carmakers have engineered some of the most mind-blowing vehicles in the world. Porsche, for example, came with the very first hybrid engine. Most, if not all, German carmakers have come up with a device that would either make a car faster or safer. However, not all German cars are created equal.
Volkswagen, creator of the people's car, is not known for having sports cars in its portfolio. That being said, the German carmaker did come up with the amazing XL1. The hypercar is another evidence of the reason why Volkswagen remains at the cutting edge of innovation.
10 The Creator
Behind every single amazing vehicle, there is a great designer. Names such as Battista "Pinin" Farina and Enzo Ferrari are well-known among car fans. However, lesser-known designers have come up with some of the most popular cars ever made. At Volkswagen, The name of this man is Herbert Shafer.
Several surprising vehicles are based on the Volkswagen Golf. Since 30,000,000 Golfs were produced between 1974 and 2013, it is quite logical that it became among the top 3 most sold cars in the world. The Corrado was created by the same designer that came up with the Golf: Herbert Schaefer.
9 External Help
Established in 1901, Karmann has been one of the German manufacturers that achieved wonders. The Karmann Ghia is one of the most popular cars to ever come off Karmann's assembly lines. The defunct parts producer also produced the body of the BMW 6-Series E24 and the Chrysler Crossfire.
Karmann is behind a vast and diverse array of vehicles. It is well-known that the company had been working hand in hand with Volkswagen after the war ended. However, most people do not know that both the Scirocco and the Corrado were manufactured by Karmann.
8 A2-A3-B3
Some of Volkswagen's best-selling vehicles are not the first things that come to mind when most gearheads think about classic cars. However, some of the most classic vehicles are often inspired by more popular and commonly-found ones. The Corrado is one of them.
Novelty vehicles tend to borrow parts from popular cars. The Corrado also contains parts from other vehicles produced by Volkswagen. The chassis from the Golf based on the A2 platform, as well as the suspension from the A3 platform and parts from the Passat B3, were used on the Corrado.
7 Beginning Of An Adventure
Back in the 1980s, the most successful cars sold by Volkswagen had to be the Golf GTI and the more family-oriented Jetta. The GTI does not need an introduction. It is one of the most remarkable European-made compact cars. Volkswagen did whatever it could to release a much more powerful and exclusive sporty car.
The Corrado is the type of classic German car every gearhead should drive at least once. When looking at the Volkswagen Corrado story, it is fair to say that it was destined to become a classic. The late '80s were definitely dominated by German car manufacturers.
6 Scirocco
The Scirocco is by far one of the most impressive mass-produced cars manufactured by Volkswagen. First released in 1974, the Scirocco has been at the beacon of sportiness at Volkswagen. The Golf GTI is one thing, but the Scirocco is far more stylish and valuable than most GTIs of that era.
Most people would assume that the Corrado was released in an effort to give Volkswagen a desperately needed breath of fresh air. The Scirocco was already on the market and had given Volkswagen an edge over carmakers of a similar caliber. The Scirocco had to share the stage with the freshly-made Corrado.
5 Distribution
Not every market gets the exact same vehicles. As a matter of fact, European markets tend to get American cars that are not exactly identical with the original version. One blatant example is the Chrysler 300. A V6 diesel was offered for the European market, but not in the US.
The very first Corrado was released in Europe back in 1988. American gearheads would have had to wait another two years before the set their eyes on Volkswagen's bulldog. In 1990, the Corrado was finally made available on the US market. The car came with either a naturally-aspirated or a supercharged 1.8L four-cylinder engine. The former powerplant produces 134 hp, while the latter (known as the G60) develops 158 hp.
4 New Tech
It is often believed that Volkswagen is far from being among the most innovative German car brands. In fact, when looking at vehicles such as the Polo or the Tiguan, it is easy to think that Volkswagen is only capable of producing mediocre cars. Volkswagen actually came up with avant-garde prowess before big names such as Porsche did it.
To the vast majority of gearheads, active spoilers are usually found on cars such as the Ford GT or the Porsche Panamera. Believe it or not, the Volkswagen. Corrado was the very first car in the US with an active spoiler. At around 80 mph, the spoiler would electronically lift up.
3 VR6
Every single carmaker in the world equipped some of its vehicles with a popular and powerful powerplant. Though some companies have a large number of engines in their portfolio, some have decided to focus on one specific engine. More often than not, these outstanding engines are found in cars that will likely appreciate over time.
The Volkswagen VR6 engine is known for being one of the meanest powerplants ever made by the carmaker. Back in 1992, Volkswagen released two new engines for the Corrado, including a 2.9L VR6 that pumps out 187 hp at 5,800 rpm and 181 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm.
2 Special Editions
Special editions sports cars are usually the cherry on top. When it comes to muscle cars, most limited editions tend to appreciate quite rapidly, often doubling in price in less than a decade. The same principle applies to German cars as well. Some limited edition Corrados are now worth as much as a brand-new BMW 3-Series.
The Corrado has to be one of Volkswagen's most iconic vehicles. The retro compact sports car is far more memorable than the Tiguan. On top of being innovative, some versions were extremely rare. Only 500 Corrado Storm were ever made. The Campaign edition was even rare, as only six units were produced.
1 Last Year
There are definitely times when good things must stop before they turn into something repulsive. It happens to just about every single product available on the market.
The Corrado was eventually discontinued in 1995. Volkswagen decided to stop the production of one-off nameplates and focus on models that were already popular. The most interesting offered by Volkswagen the following year was the Golf GTI VR6 equipped with a 2.8L engine that still churns out 172 hp.