One of the most exciting engines ever to motivate a Volkswagen was the Corrado SLC's 178-horsepower, narrow-angle VR6, introduced in 1992. That engine-with four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, and displacement increased to 3.2 liters-now produces 240 horsepower and is the heart and soul of the new Volkswagen R32, a kind of super GTI. In addition to the new-generation VR6 engine, the R32 features a six-speed manual gearbox and VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, making the car very fast, very racy, and very desirable. Unfortunately, Volkswagen's press preview for the R32 was held in one corner of the Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix, where we divided four hours of driving time between an autocross track and some timed acceleration and braking runs. Only after flying home was I able to lay hands on an R32 for some experience on real-world roads in real-world traffic.
The original Volkswagen GTI was a revelation. Introduced in Europe in 1976 and here in 1983, it was the car that forever broke down the automotive hierarchy on Germany's autobahns. Never before had VWs flashed their lights at Mercedes-Benz or BMW executive sedans, demanding they move over to let the little guys pass.... Read full article