Volkswagen Corrado -- New V-6 Engine Fulfills Promise Of This Sports Car

Volkswagen's Corrado - thanks to an innovative new V-6 engine - has gone from half-baked to well-done.

The original Corrado, dubbed the G60, came with a supercharged four-cylinder engine that underwhelmed a lot of serious sports car drivers.

After all, if you build a brawny-looking sports coupe and hang a $20,000 price on the window, some seriously enthusiastic drivers are going to press their noses up against the glass and have a look-see.

Your car had better be able to deliver the goods when the pedal hits the metal.

VW's original Corrado didn't.

The new and vastly improved Corrado SLC does.

This car reminds me - in spirit mostly - of the first versions of Porsche's 944. You felt like you were driving the best-kept secret in the world.

You get that same feeling in the Corrado.

The Corrado SLC is the first Volkswagen ever sold in the United States with a six-cylinder engine.

And this isn't just any six-cylinder.

It's a uniquely designed V-6 that cranks out an ultra-smooth 178 horsepower.

The 2.8-liter engine's cylinder banks are angled only 15 degrees apart; in most V-6s, the cylinder banks are spaced 60 or 90 degrees in the shape of a V.

The cylinders in the Corrado are laid out in a zig-zag fashion, and they are topped off with a one-piece cylinder head - unique among the world's V-shaped engines. All other V-6 engines have two cylinder heads, one for each bank of three cylinders.

What all that technical stuff means is simply this: VW has installed the six-cylinder in a space no larger than what was needed for the old four-cylinder engine. More power and less weight means higher performance.

Simply stated, the Corrado SLC is a bullet on wheels. The engine belts out enough low-end power to spin the front tires in first and second gears.

No matter how high you rev the engine it never gets loud, runs rough or loses its composure. It's as smooth as a rotary engine.

VW made at least one other major drivetrain improvement: The shifter now clicks smoothly through the gears. On the original Corrado, the shifter was vague and notchy.

Stripped of the gimmicky supercharger, the new Corrado is now an honest hustler.

And driving this car is exhilarating. --------------------------------------------------------------- REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

1992 VW CORRADO SLC Two-door sports coupe .

ENGINE 2.8 liter Six cylinder .

TRANSMISSION 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic .

FUEL ECONOMY 20 mpg city (with 5-speed- 28 mpg highway . --------------------------------------------------------------- OBSERVATIONS

-- Dimensions The rear hatchback area is huge for a car this size. With the rear seats folded forward there's enough room for at least two golf bags. We loaded the Corrado with four adults and were surprised to find the rear seat area adequate. That's a rarity in a small hatchback.

-- Options VW gave the Corrado SLC all the equipment it needs to be a thoroughbred. Standard items include: traction control, power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and power rack and pinion steering.