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MODEL HISTORY: CORRADO G60

The G60 supercharger boosted power of the 1.8-litre eight-valve engine to _160bhp_

A complex piece of equipment, the G60 supercharger unit can suffer expensive failure if not carefully maintained

and '60s, sports cars were usually British, German or Italian. These days, most sports car drfvers are likefy to be behind the wheel of a Japanese machinę and Volkswagen engineers think it is time to change that.”

At the heart of the Corrado's performance was the G60 supercharger, designed primarily for this application. In the search for the power output required, Volkswagen’s engineers had looked at vanous ways of improving on the 139bhp offered by the 1.8-litre 16-valve GTI engine. At the time. a si*cylinder unit was dismissed on the grounds of size and weight. and turbocharging was rejected because of throttle lag. Instead. supercharging was seen as the way forward.

Popular on pre-war sports cars, the mechamcally-dmren 'blower' gave better low-speed torque characteristics than a turbo and. without the high temperatures of exhaust gas and ultra-high turbinę rpm to contend with, the supercharger was potentially morę durable. The downside is that power is needed to drive the supercharger. which has an adverse effect on fuel economy.

Instead of the familiar Roots or vane-type of supercharger unit, Volkswagen chose a spiral displacement type. This has become known as the G-Lader.

the shape of its spiral air passages resembling the letter G. The principle was patented by a Frenchman in 1905, but its construction was beyond the capabilities of manufacturing techniques at that time. Eighty years later, Volkswagen‘s precision machining technology enabled the G-Lader to fulfil its potential.

Belt-driven and rotatmg at 1.7 times engine speed, the 60mm G-charger gave 0.65 bar boost and raised the power of the 1.8-litre eight-valve engine to 160bhp at 5600rpm. with maximum torque of 165lb.ft. produced at 4000rpm.

The supercharger was mounted below the alternator on the front of the engme, which was also eguipped with an air-to-air

SPECIFICATION

Engine
Dijpbcemnm	ITBIcc
Numberołcyfałders	4
Borę and stroke	8ltó6.<mm
Compresskmratio	aoti
Fuol system	Multipomt dectronc fuol <n$8ction
Pcwer output	160bhp(118kW)@5600rpm
Mańnum toroue	16»A|225Nmm<OOOrpm
Chassis
Transmsskm	Front-urfieeł dróe
Gearbo*	Frcerabos
Topgearrsbo	2SQmpMOOOipm
Frcoisuspension Rear susperaon	MacPherson struts, c«l spriogs, antkofl bar Torsioo team, traihng arms, track-correccng bearings, cod spnngs.anó-rołl bar
Front brakes	Ventilated dises
Rearbrakes	D«cs
Whaels	Akry 6*15
Tyres	1»50VR15
DimeośoRS
LfingthSmdtiyheight	15a4«W1.Sin.4WM67V318nim
WMbut	97in.2470wo
Tracklfront/rearl	5&5«2in. 1435*1428mm
Mhnum ground clearance	_
Tummg circte	34.4H UX5m
luggage capacity, seat uffloMed: sphero metod 10 &29.4cu.ft, 297^33 litres błock metod 8l%28j6cu.IL. 23^810 Utres
Fuel tank capacity	15.4 gallcfts. 70 Kres

48 V0LKSWAGEN DR1VER NCMM8ER 2000

Ułn i

wengnts

Uni&den weight	2459b.1115kg
Totalpemwed weight	33188.1S05kg
PermfledtrailerloadMChViittiootbrakes	2646*11478.120Q520bJ
PERFORMANCE
Matowi speed, mph	140mph,225kph
0-50flph.$ec	5.4
O-fflmph.sec	7.5
O-70mph.sec	iai
30-50mph (third gear), sec	a
30-50mph Ifourth gearl, sec	6.7
50-70mph Ithńrd gearł, sec	42
50-70mph Ifourth gearl sec	58
50-70mph (fifCh gear), sec	8.6
Owal fuel consumption	305mpg.92Kres/100km
Economical drning	37Ance. MtonflOObn
PRODUCTION DATA
Productwn started	October 1383
PraJuctionenifed:	Juhr 1992
Chassis num&er codę.	50
Engine codę:	PG
PRICES
UKpricewhennw	£18351-€193J7
Typicałvakienow. LUD	EmfEOOO
RHO	emma

'The

Corrado's Sharp responses, agility and sheer cornering ability selnew standards lor front-wheel drive'