Here’s baT Auction Success Story: Corrado Dreams Come True

BaT member ardee2002 won this 1993 Volkswagen Corrado SLC VR6 from BaT Local Partner lromanosky in a November 2025 BaT auction, and he wrote in to tell us about it:

After 35 years of waiting, I finally won a 1993 Volkswagen Corrado SLC VR6. When I won this 41k-km example in December 2025, it was fulfilling a Gen-X dream. Born in the late 1960s, I grew up in the peak malaise era, followed by the rise of Japanese sports coupes from the 1980s. Being 6’4″, I never seemed to fit in contemporary Integras and 240SXs, so my university car was a Mk2 Golf—basic, sturdy, and fun. I developed a love for German engineering that never left me.

After graduating in Toronto in 1990, I started my career and earned a few extra dollars. Naturally, I went to the VW dealer a year later to see how I could spice my ride up a bit. Beyond the Golfs and Jettas, there were two options in the showroom: the GTI 16V and the Corrado. The latter was like nothing else on the market. It was squat and looked serious but understated, like a Golf that hit the gym hard but kept it quiet. The GTI was like my Golf, only turned up a little on the volume dial. Unfortunately, the Corrado was just out of my financial reach, so I left with a Montana Green 1992 16V GTI. It was stock and equipped with BBS RS three-piece wheels and a Recaro interior. The out-the-door price was $24,000 CDN. The Corrado was about $3k more, but it seemed like a big stretch in 1991.

Within months, it became clear that the Montana Green GTI 16V was a target, although I didn’t know it at first. Every time I parked it in public, it was an adventure; first, it was keyed, then the wheel centers were stolen, and a theft attempt when parked in downtown Montreal during a dinner one night was thwarted. That year, I accumulated three insurance claims. I reluctantly listed it for sale, only to have it stolen shortly after from my suburban work parking lot in broad daylight. I took my $22k insurance payout and bought an $8k dark blue Scirocco Slegato (a Canadian market special). I saved the rest for a house down payment. Marriage was also around the corner in 1993, and it was the sensible thing to do.

Thirty-two years later, after some great German cars, I saw this VR6 Corrado on BaT. My heart jumped. The VR6 was the engine that the Corrado had always needed. Being a Canadian-market example meant it was also equipped with a Recaro cloth interior, much like my GTI, sans automatic seat belts like contemporary US-market cars.

After winning the auction, the car was delivered from Calgary to Vancouver, where I picked it up for its maiden voyage home to Vancouver Island, which consisted of a one-hour drive to the ferry. The VR6 sang, and the car fit like a glove. It felt solid and new. Over three decades had passed, but that showroom dream had finally come true.

A few minor repairs have popped up since then. Some parts are easy to find, while many others have been difficult. Luckily, I discovered a Corrado in a nearby wrecking yard searching for an unobtanium window regulator.

Thanks to an unexpectedly sunny January, I’ve already shown the VR6 at a Cars & Coffee event I organize, and parked it beside maybe the only other Corrado VR6 on Vancouver Island. It turned out that one rolled off the Karmann assembly line the same week as mine did, and the current owner lives five minutes away. Knowing someone experienced with these cars is a must since their scarcity means a potentially challenging ownership experience. However, that’s overcome by the joy of owning, driving, and looking at your showroom dream from decades ago.

If you have a Success Story about a car you’ve bought or sold on BaT, please send a few lines and pictures (or a video) to community.content@bringatrailer.com, and we’ll send you a $50 credit to the BaT Gear Store when your story posts to the site.

We love to hear from satisfied BaT buyers and sellers, and a Success Story feature is a great addition to any car’s history when you’re ready to sell.