I don't remember much of what happens in day-to-day life, or rather, I choose not to. In retrospect, however, I do remember every car I've owned, their specifications, modifications and the interaction they had with my family. And though I can recall most of my first house, I remember more what my BMW 2002 looked like parked in its driveway. My wife pointed out how most of our family photos seem to include a piece of a car. As shallow as this may seem, my life's focal points are marked by cars. Over the last 24 years, I've owned more than 11 of them, and that's a lot of memories, both sad and glad.
One of the glads was working on Project GTI 16V. The goal was nothing more than to make it a better car, and over a year's time, I did just that. It made me happy to envision what I'd do next, which part I'd put where, and the roads I'd eventually conquer with it. In the end, Project GTI had morphed from a total piece of shit to a genuine screamer. The goal was realized, the project complete.
But, after it had left my garage for greener pastures, it also left a void. I had no automotive goal-I had nothing mechanical to fixate on, no outlet for my car craziness. So I chose to get another project car going. It won't get me the Nobel Prize or my picture in Fortune, but it sure as hell takes the edge off everyday life.
Over the last 12 months, I'd been fixated on two cars-the 964-chassis 911 and the Corrado VR6. A clean 1987-89 911, which represents the zenith of that wonderful model, goes for anywhere from $14k to $20k . A better shifter, G-50 gearbox, stout 3.2-liter Motronic-controlled engine and great ergonomics make the 911 a great buy. The Corrado VR6 was second on this short list. They range from $4k to $9k. I'd been in love with the design since the first spy shots leaked from Germany, and, as for the engine, the narrow-angle six can be very entertaining.
In the end I chose the Corrado, not so much from the performance perspective (I'm pretty sure the 911 would spank it) but the fact that it's something of a rarity. And while the 911's styling remained virtually unchanged for 30 years, the Corrado was a bold step forward for Volkswagen, invoking the lines of the beloved Scirocco S in a more elegant package. Moreover, the support network for these cars is immense-I'm lucky to have folks like Raffi and Vik Kazanjian of Eurosport, Aaron Neumann at Neuspeed, Dave Anderson at ABD and the crew at Autotech just a quick drive's distance from my office.
I got a great car and proceeded to drive it non-stop for several thousand miles before Vik said it might be a good idea to change the oil and register it...things like that. Now I'm looking for another, a second car to complement this one. Corrado ownership is like a drug: You find yourself always searching for another fix.
The Corrado's first lines were penned back in 1987 under the supervision of Dr. Wolfgang Lincke (former chief engineer of VW passenger car development). Designer Herbert Schaefer and crew were given the task of creating an "image car" for Volkswagen that could replace the much-loved Scirocco S. The Corrado would be built at Karmann in Onsabruck alongside the cabrio and Scirocco S but in much smaller numbers, less than 100 per day. The Corrado was never intended to be volume car but rather a vehicle to contain the best technology from Volkswagen's closet. Ultimately, the body panels proved to be very expensive, as they were largely proprietary bits made specifically for one car.