Run like the wind! inter-cooler which increases air density by lowering its temperature to

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Meryl McDaniel
5 years ago
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Run like the wind! T he name Volkswagen has never been traditionally associated with such adjectives as power, speed and performance until recently.

2 Run like the wind! T he name Volkswagen has never been traditionally associated with such adjectives as power, speed and performance until recently. VW's latest entry into the sport coupe field of cars, the Corrado, promises to do away with many criticisms ofvolkswagens past by providing thrill-aminute performance and handling. The secret ingredient is a supercharged overhead cam engine which cranks out a whopping.158 horses, enough to propel this 2660-pound coupe from 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds. Taken from the Roman word for run or sprint, the Corrado's supercharged, eight-valve, 1.8 liter four cylinder also produces 166 ft. lb. torque at 4000 RPM with additional go-power coming from a G-ladder rotary super charger. Being a relatively new vehicle and one that in stock trim offers buyers outof-the-box performance, few aftermarket companies have yet to take on the :Z6 VW TRENDS/APRIL 1990 challenge of developing performance products for the Corrado. However, one such firm is Automotive Performance Systems, Inc. of Anaheim, California. APS has become synonymous with second generation VW's in the past they have developed and tested suspension and engine components for Rabbits, Scirocco, Golf, Jetta and now the Corrado. Before any part hits the shelf it has gone through some of the most extensive testing anywhere. The heart of the Corrado is a G-lader supercharger- a belt driven system that drives a wedge of air to the center of the spiral chamber through an inter-cooler which increases air density by lowering its temperature to 130-degrees before the compressed air reaches the engine. The G-60 designation comes from the 60mm depth of the moving spiral. Since the supercharger is limited to 11,000 RPM, APS was limited to the amount of RPM they Continued on page 28 Up front, the suspension consists of Bllsteln Rally race front struts, Neuspeed progressive rate lowering springs, Neuspeed 1-/nch sway bar and a Neuspeed upper strut tie-bar. Stopping power comes from 11-lnch cross drilled internally vented rotors on the front and 9-inch cross drilled rotors In the rear.

N E u H 0 R z 0 N s Continued from page 26 A Neuspeed rear strut tie-bar was installed to minimize undetsteer due to less chassis flex and Improves stability during corner braking.

3 N E u H 0 R z 0 N s Continued from page 26 A Neuspeed rear strut tie-bar was installed to minimize undetsteer due to less chassis flex and Improves stability during corner braking. could increase on the supercharger so the unit was left in stock configuration. However, the 1.8 liter motor did receive a Neuspeed Sport Cam and a Gillet high-flow exhaust system for better breathing capabilities. Next was a look at the suspension. Up front, the stock MacPherson strut's and coil springs were replaced with Bil- Momo were along with 195x15-lnch )bkohama AOOB-R tires to give the Corrado plenty of traction when hitting the cornets. The Corrado's rear suspension handling characteristics have been Improved with the use of 1-1/8-lnch rear sway bar mounted In a position that takes full advantage of being able to extend with the full length of the trailing arm which puts the torque where Its needed. A set of Bllsteln sport shocks smooth out the ride. 28 VW TRENDS/APRIL 1990 At the tail end of the vw; you'll find a motorized spoiler that extends at 45 mph to decrease drag and increasing high-speed stability. The spoiler retracts just before stopping. stein Rally race front struts Neuspeed progressive rate lowering springs which lets the driver enjoy a smooth ride for cruising around town and while getting progressively stiffer as the spring compresses in a hard cornering or hard braking situation. Cornering stability was also enhanced with the addition of a Neuspeed l-inch sway bar. Neuspeed also installed an upper strut tiebar, which takes the roll and twist out of the sheet metal tube frame. The upper strut tie-bar also makes steering quicker and improves handling. The stock front control arm bushings were replaced by VW Motorsport front control arm bushings. The Corrado's rear suspension consists of an independent torsion beam axle with track correcting bushings. The rear suspension performance has also been enhanced with the addition of a 11/s-inch rear sway bar mounted in a position that takes full advantage of being able to extend with the full length of the trailing arm which puts the torque where it's needed. A set of Bilstein sport shocks smooth out the ride. Also in the area of the rear suspension, APS installed a Neuspeed Tie-bar which minimizes under steer via less chassis flex and improves stability through triangulation of the shock towers to the floor pan and then to the bumper bolts. An impressive aspect of this car are the brakes. With 11-inch cross drilled internally vented rotors on the front and 9-inch cross drilled rotors in the rear, both having special pads, give the Neuspeed Corrado excellent straight braking without any hint of fading. Neuspeed teflon/stainless steel braided brake lines were added on all four calipers. The Corrado's interior seems to have been designed with the driver in mind. Driver and passenger are seated in comfortable, well bolstered seats the hold the occupants in place even during a hard cornering situa- tion. Instruments in the Corrado are large and easy to read with the 140 mph speedometer in the center of the console surrounded by the water temperature gauge, fuel gauge and trip computer readout to its right, and the tach to the left. 'Ib add a little color to the otherwise bland interior, Aaron Newmann installed a red, green, blue, yellow Momo Beneton Formula steering wheel. On the outside, Automotive Performance Systems greatly enhanced the look of the Corrado with the addition of a Kamei X-1 aerodynamic kit which included the front spoiler, side skirts, door panels and rear skirt. Before the kit could be installed, the components had to be color matched to the body by Anaheim Hills Paint and Body located in Anaheim Hills, California. After they received the body components back from the paint shop, Bill and Aaron Newmann installed the kit and added a Kamei front grill spoiler. The stock turn signal lenses were exchanged for a Euro clear units. The headlights were also changed in favor of a set of Euro headlights with H4 high/low and H3 high bulbs. At the tail end of the car you'll find a motorized spoiler that extends at 45 mph to decrease drag and increasing high speed stability the spoiler retracts just before stopping. The stock tire and wheel combination was swapped for a set of Momo 15x7-inch Star wheels that were color matched by Anaheim Hills Body and Paint. When it came time to decide on rubber, APS decided to use tires with maximum traction, so they opted to use 195x15inch Yokohama A008-R tires. All in all, the Neuspeed Corrado is quite an impressive vehicle, from the impressive power of the G-60 supercharged engine to the finely tuned suspension that allows the driver to gracefully maneuver it through the curviest mountain roads. Q,

The numerous m iles of twisty

New Hella Body Kit & Neuspeed components Equal one Fine vw The numerous m iles of twisty canyon and mountain roadways that traverse their way across southern California's terrain are the perfect test beds