So as said in the title, is there any one reason why the Corrado is always hallowed for having such good handling? Obviously it shares the same floor pan as the MK2 so is it just the superior front geometry afforded by the use of MK3 style hubs?
Must be, plus lower c of g perhaps? I had a 2.0 16v one, and it was a tidy handling car. Quicker rack too than my mk2.
Yep, think it's from a Passat , I might be talking balls though edit - Andrew talks about it on this vid. @7:20
Ahh thanks for discussion so far! The beam as I remember has a larger diameter bushes than a Mk2. Both styles are track correcting but the VR6 has bigger ones to handle the extra weight? Does anyone know the effect of the titled ball joint on the VR6 front hubs? I’d look myself but I don’t have a VR6 to reference
Titled? Extra caster and tapered ones? They add caster as mentioned, and are part of the wider track. I've driven a vr6 Rado, and a widetracked 16v, and they just turn in beautifully.
Great thread , I've never driven a rado, only been a passenger in an early 16v, I'm an admirer but a confirmed mk2 golf man really. I appreciate everything I've ever read about the rado, great driving position, handling, turn in etc, and obviously the looks, but something i havent fully understood or got to grips with is the role played by the passat, this model has never been remotely 'sporty' (r36 aside) and nobody has ever suggested it was, yet its components seem to be accredited with making the rado what it is. It seems an odd mix! but it works, it just seems like an odd model to be called upon to provide the required results? I suppose that is the genius of the vw handling dept men! I'm no expert by any means and I havent really experienced that many cars other than mk2 golfs, but I have read about and can appreciate cars from other makes, I have been dailying my mk2 16v for the last 6 years or so until fairly recently. I have acquired a clio 197 cup and I have to say I'm amazed by its turn in, grip and handling so far during my short ownership, yet I'm pretty sure the earlier cars are better still by all accounts! For the rado to be held in such high regard after all these years really is testament to it, in the fact it uses pretty basic trickery , maybe one day I'll get to experience one for myself
Yeah I couldn't think a better way to describe them on the spot haha. I Think the reason for the Passat parts being quoted as being responsible for the better handling is the unknown amount of extra track correction the larger "Plus Suspension" offer, combined with the fact its much easier to say that rather than explain why you get more dynamic camber with increased caster and why that aids handling. Below are the alignments stats if anyone interested, with the Corrado you basically get 2 degrees more Caster and about 0.6 degrees more negative camber as standard. As you can see the rear is almost the same across the cars. In theory a "Wide track" MK2 should behave in a very similar way to a Corrado, albeit lighter, is that what you felt @Tristan ? As for if you don't want to Wide track your MK2 but still want a little more Caster, you can either fit adjustable top mounts or something like Superpro caster bushes which give you around 0.6? degrees of caster from what I can find. If you're running Audi TT bushes you can push the wishbone out 1 mm which moves the ball joint forward 1.25 mm giving approx 0.15 degrees more caster
I've the offset bushes and they made negligible difference tbh. The widetrack car I drove was actually a small block corrado! Running VR suspension bits.
Corrado's have lower CoG than a Golf MK2 and are more Mk3 Golf for stiffness. I have driven them back to back on track with my MK2 and IMO it was a less frantic for turn in and exit at higher corner speeds, with less suspension upgrades than my MK2 Golf ABF track car. They are understated as a track car, just like the B5 A4.
brill info Nate , I should have said I don't ever recall the Passat being renowned for its sharp handling, just goes to prove if the ingredients are right it just works, as mentioned low centre of gravity and stiffness of shell etc. my mk3 golf vr6(standard) I dont think was too bad to drive, no corrado granted but with the plus suspension and similar rear bushes etc as the rado vr(?), I presume the mk3 was heavier and had different damper and spring rates?
I've got both but sadly haven't really driven my recently aquired mk2 yet as it needs restoration work. The Corrado has a much lower seating position and the general feel is sports car low. The front end grip is great and more than i expected which is probably the extra camber quoted above. I have the B12 kit on the Corrado. So far I've concluded the Golf is more daily driver and arguably would be more comfortable to live with.
Just resurrecting to update on stuff I have found out since - the rear axle and bushes on the 5x100 Corrados are the same part numbers as found on the mk3 golf. I havent looked at the 4x100 corrados but assume the bolt on stuff i.e axles and subframes is mk2 golf. I assume passat references come from the rear floor pans but unable to confirm. The shell on the corrado is stiffer than a mk2 as well as being lower but the shell is also some 200kgs heavier than a mk2.
the corrado is based on the same floor pan as the G60 golf, there is nothing passat about it. 4 cylinder models have same running gear as G60 golf, though later models had some changes here and there. the vr6 has the same running gear as a mk3 golf the floorpan is basically the same as normal golf, just same as g60 it has the raised tunnel and some tweaks here and there g60/corrado 4 stud front subframe is the same as golf except it has a mount on it for 'balance weight', plus 2 extra metal strips that extend out behind the arb inner points to bolt to chassis. rear beam is same as g60 which is same as mk2 wexcept it has beefer ARB plus the later add on webbing that was welded to the later mk2/3 beams. front 4 stud has the thicker g60 roll bar but otherwise same as mk2 g60. steering rack on the 4 cylinder is mk2 16v/g60 spec, that is 'sportier' in some way compared to the normal mk2 golf 8v ones. the vr6 corrado has the mk3 vr6 rack
well some say they're quicker, but I dont see any evidence in the workshop manual to support that. so all i can think is its a little heavier feel
