We hate to inform some of you this although the tuning scene doesn’t center around Japanese cars. On the other side of your Atlantic, Volkswagens are one of the most owned and modified cars in Europe, in fact, the globe for that matter. And even though Super Street has never given Veedubs much recognition in the past, we’re always researching ways to improve whatever we bring to the table. So while the haters can turn the page, we want to invite the remainder of you to have a look at among the best Volkswagen project cars built on American soil.
The Jetta and Golf are the most famous cars carrying the VW badge but this showstopper here is a Corrado-an extinct model in the VW lineup. The last Corrado that rolled from the assembly line was in ’96; however, despite its limited lifespan, these were still regarded as one of the best driver’s cars of its time. Rados are small, nimble handling machines, also offered with two peppy powerplants-a supercharged 1.8-liter as well as a meaty 2.8-liter VR6. These solid attributes along with its old school Euro-sexy looks were what made them attractive to enthusiasts like Florida native, Sean Landregan.
Simply put, Sean’s Rado is on another level. It represents towards the tee exactly what the
VW scene has been about for the last decade. You don’t need any crazy widebody conversions or tons of parts. Instead, the very best Euros have already been about being clean, subtle and slammed without getting too cluttered with hardware and stickers-something Sean has perfected here.
The story of his ’91 Corrado started out like a daily driver-something all of us can relate to. Right after the tranny blew, it was time for the rebuild and that’s when Sean went H.A.M. Being a paint and the body guy by trade, he used his own car to show off what he could do. The fenders were pulled to accommodate wider wheels while the body was removed of its hood washers and emblems for an ultra-clean look before being sprayed BMW Interlagos blue. Taking his skills as a body technician further, the bay was shaved to perfection losing every hole, crease and unnecessary bit of hardware at the same time.
1991 volkswagen corrado interlagos blue paint
1991 volkswagen corrado pulled fenders
1991 volkswagen corrado tail lights
The rest of the build received exactly the same attention to detail with a fully-built turbocharged VR6 motor which had been polished and chromed. A flawless interior came next which had been reupholstered from head-to-toe in suede and leather. The wheels are one of the car’s more recent updates, now wearing Rotiform INDs dipped in chrome. And naturally, the chassis was slammed appropriately via air-ride.
While the Corrado’s spec list may not match some of the rides we typically feature here, this build is about making the fit and finish look perfect, instead of trying too hard. It truly is a work of art and a prime example of what most Euro guys aspiring to today if you happen to get a chance to think about Sean’s Corrado in person.tech and painter
Engine 2.9 liter VR6 with JE pistons; Integrated Engineering rods; ARP hardware; rebuilt head with heavy duty springs and titanium retainers; GT35R turbo; AFI tubular manifold; TiAL 44mm wastegate and blow-off valve; Schimmel Performance intake manifold and intercooler; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; chromed valve cover, oil pan, alternator, turbo and pipingsteering wheel; OE Euro seatbelts; tan leather/suede upholstery
Thanks You My wife Kayla; my Mike and mom for the continuing support; Jason and Brian at Rotiform; Corey and the guys at Air Lift Company; Travis, all and Drew my girlfriends that were associated with the project; Kip Passion for Loves Trim shop; my uncle Marc for helping me build the motor; Jason Diem from 4EverKustoms
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