1994 Volkswagen Corrado VR6

Finished in black over black leather, this VW Corrado has a long MoT and just 146,000 on the odometer having averaged only a couple of thousand miles per annum over the past five years or so.

The alloy wheels have been recently refurbished and the bonnet has been resprayed but the seller, who’s had the car for about six months, is honest enough to admit there are “some small rust bubbles on the wheelarches and under the spoiler”.

Being offered with no reserve, this might be your chance to get your hands on a 1990’s hot-hatchback icon for a lot less than might otherwise be the case.

Black is a notoriously unforgiving colour, ruthlessly highlighting every single dent, dink and ripple, so the fact this one looks as good as it does says it all.

And it really does look terrific, doesn’t it? It’s a great design anyway but the timelessness black brings to the party means the Corrado looks every bit as modern now as it did when it was first launched.

As we mentioned in the introduction, it has had a partial respray and this has refreshed up the car’s appearance wonderfully but there are a few small rust bubbles to attend to on the wheelarches and under the boot spoiler.

Photos #51, #86, #92, #105, and #211 give you an idea of what you’ll need to address. (If we are being really picky then the badges could do with freshening up too, and there are some light scratches to the bumper i.e. #84 and #109.) But, black is as easy to match as it is merciless, so piecemeal repairs should be possible.

The 15-inch, five-spoke Speedline alloy wheels look terrific thanks to that recent refurbishment and they’re covered by matching Uniroyal RainSport 5 tyres. All still have good tread having only been fitted, we are told, just before the owner bought it in August 2022.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Others points of note are the personalized and highly appropriate registration number, a well-fitting metal sunroof, good glazing and light lenses, and an overall air of well-being.

A nice stance, too. At a time when so many modern classics have been slammed, it’s lovely to see one still sitting as Wolfsburg intended.

In true VW style, the interior has survived the passage of almost 30 years with impressive aplomb. They are known for being pretty much bomb-proof anyway but the fact this one still looks as good as it does is still a bit of a revelation.

Mind you, given a previous owner went to the trouble of sourcing another parcel shelf to fit a pair of Blaupunkt speakers into in order to keep the original unsullied, it’s probably fair to conclude it’s had some slightly obsessive previous owners…

That said, the front seats are nicely patinated and wear their years with pride. Not that they are bad of course, but they do have some slight softening to them and some creases as well as some colour loss to the outer bolster of the driver’s seat.

There are a few small issues for the new owner to address. Please see slides #136, #161, #163, and #168 to get an idea of what needs doing but rest assured it looks to be straightforward and nothing more than a touch of TLC and some elbow grease.

The waterpump was replaced in February 2022, and it received an MoT and some welding repairs in October of that year. It’s also had a new battery in the past few days.

As you can see, it starts well and revs as it should. The seller tells us that it “runs really well”. It’s with him in Reigate, Surrey so please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button to make an appointment to see it in person.

The engine bay is serviceable rather than pretty, so if neatness is your thing you could usefully invest a day in detailing it and replacing a few rusty bolts and fasteners.

The Corrado’s MoT certificate, which is valid until October 2023, was gained, like so many before, with no advisories.

There are a couple of old invoices for previous services in 2017 and 2018 but, like so many classics, the bulk of its paper history and the service history booklet have been lost, so this is all the seller has.

This means you’ll be bidding based on its current condition rather than being able to rely on a hefty file full of paperwork but it is worth noting that the chap he bought it from owned it for around eight years and the recent Vehicle History Check is clean.

The VW Golf VR6 moved the hot-hatchback market from being quick to being bloomin’ fast, while its big brother brought the segment upmarket too, making the Corrado VR6 something of a landmark car.

And they still thrill, even three decades later. There’s plenty of support too, so you can leave ‘em stock and enjoy some of the most diligent engineering in the car parc or fettle and modify to your heart’s content, after which you’ll have a classic-looking coupé that’ll keep up with anything this side of a six-figure price tag.

And it’s not as if they’re hideously expensive – yet.

This one, for example, which is in need of some love and attention, is estimated to fetch somewhere between £7,000 and £10,000 but as it’s being sold with no reserve, it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Tempting, isn’t it?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Reigate, Surrey, United Kingdom. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.