Which is best for power gains? G60 or VR6

[G60radoboi 10]

As per the title I was curious which would yield bestter results for performance mods between the G60 and VR6? I do remember the VR6 engine having a bit of a bad "rep" when it came out and I kinda like the idea of having the G60. I see guys only seeing around the 200BHP mark. What does the VR6 get performance wise on mods and has anyone thought about doing a twin turbo conversion?

 

While I am on the subject running costs on maintenance between the two also need to be considered and I am sure the G60 would be cheaper all round.

 

For reference I currently run a 57 plate seat leon cupra with about 360BHP

[maff 10]

You can get big power out of a turbo vr6 but will cost you £££ budget £4000, you can also supercharge for £2000 but you can spend a £1000 for some cams and remap to take power up to a nice n/a 220bhp with no turbo:-), (thats what i'm doing) and then of course you have the character of the engine which for me dominates the driving experience with the sound revvy nature.

I'm not to clued up on the g60 but pretty sure you can take the 1.8 to a 2.1 and bigger charger smaller pulleys etc and push 350bhp?

 

Money wise it would be cheaper to tune a g60 than a vr6 but a four pot lump does nothing for me even with the super charger whine! so I'd have a go in both and do a good search on here:-)

[G60radoboi 10]

350BHP from the G60???!!! Now we are talking. Running costs are a big factor for me and having owned a twin charged seat before I like the sound of a charger hahahaha Combined with the thought of paying close on 100 pounds for a tank of fuel in the VR6 with it's massive 70 litre tank :-o

[maff 10]

Just have a drive in a sorted vr6 first they are very good and sound very nice:-)

 

I find most people who are negative of the vr6 have never driven one or driven one at 110% which is where they feel fun for me!

 

But to be fair the less weight over the front axle in the g60 does make for a better stock handling car but then I'd just upgrade suspension components on the vr6 to get even.

 

Ive had 39mpg out of my old corrado vr6 on the motorway, they are not that bad if you tootle around

 

Or you could just find one with the vag 1.8t bam engine installed? you'd have the same lump in your seat I'd of thought, they are very strong engines I'm led to believe?

Edited January 24, 2013 by maff

[G60radoboi 10]

Just have a drive in a sorted vr6 first they are very good and sound very nice:-)

 

I find most people who are negative of the vr6 have never driven one or driven one at 110% which is where they feel fun for me!

 

But to be fair the less weight over the front axle in the g60 does make for a better stock handling car but then I'd just upgrade suspension components on the vr6 to get even.

 

Ive had 39mpg out of my old corrado vr6 on the motorway, they are not that bad if you tootle around

 

Or you could just find one with the vag 1.8t bam engine installed? you'd have the same lump in your seat I'd of thought, they are very strong engines I'm led to believe?

 

I will see if I can find someone in London with a VR6 to take me for a blast. My Leon has the 2.0TFSI engine but I know the 1.8T well as I had a mk3 Ibiza Cupra with that engine. What is fuel consumption like in the G60 then versus the VR6?

[Jim 2]

It really depends what you want to spend and how far you want to go.

 

It's relatively trivial to take a G60 up from standard 160BHP to a reliable 210BHP with a handful of modifications (remap, intercooler, supercharger work) for about the same amount of money as it would cost you to take a VR6 from 190BHP to 220BHP.

 

The VR6 responds nicely to supercharging and turbo charging with some work on strengthening a few key areas. The G60, in my limited experience, seems to be problematic when you try and take it to big power - unless you ditch the G-Lader and turbo that instead.

 

So it really depends what you want to achieve and what your budget is. It'll cost you a hell of a lot to get your Corrado up to the same kind of power as your Leon though, and the chassis on the Leon is far better at coping with that sort of power than a Corrado chassis is!

[G60radoboi 10]

Good point Jim even though I know I can't expect that sort of power from the G60. What are the costs to charge the VR6 lump then and would strengthened internals be advisable? What supporting mods are advised too regarding the the head and valves etc? Were the VR6 engines not prone to dropping cam chains (if they have chains)?

[Jim 2]

Supercharging the VR6 is cheaper than turbocharging - you're talking approx £2,000 for the kit and then a good couple days of install and remapping time at a VW specialist like Stealth. My knowledge on this subject is only based on the stuff I've observed being discussed on here as I've never forced inducted my VR6.. I understand that the VR is pretty strong but I believe a new headgasket and ARP headbolts are the order of the day before going down the supercharging route. You don't need to look into uprating valves, or any other head work etc.

 

The timing chains are strong but the tensioners are a known weak spot - for peace of mind you should budget in timing chains and clutch job, probably at the same time as fitting the uprated head bolts seeing as the head will have to come off anyway.

[G60radoboi 10]

Good to know Jim. Think I may yet be convinced to consider the VR6 hahahahaha

[Kevin Bacon 5]

An 8V G60 won't make 350hp. The most I've seen from a 2.0 big valve and stage 4 charger was ~270ish hp, which was in a silver MK1 Stealth built many years ago. You'll need to build a 16V G60 to get 300hp or more but there's a couple of guys on here with such engines who can advise more on that.

 

As for the VR6, a relatively relaxed bar of boost from a turbo on a standard engine with head spacer will comfortably see 400hp. Add 263 cams and that can rise to 430hp, depending on exhaust size and configuration. As others have said, it's not cheap! Using the best components and with a rebuilt engine using lowered compression forged pistons, you're looking at the thick end of £10K.

 

Or you could spend that on an M5 and get 400hp as standard and a chassis that no Corrado will ever come close to, no matter how much cash you throw at it ;)

 

Don't get me wrong, I've been there and got all the T shirts available for VR6 modding, but I wouldn't do it again. Mainly because the car just can't cope with the power.

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

Good to know Jim. Think I may yet be convinced to consider the VR6 hahahahaha

 

Ha ha & just you wait until you get to listen to the VR go from grumble to growl to full on roar!! i barely turn my stereo on due to that soundtrack :D lol

[Jim 2]

Kev speaks the truth.. go down the route of modifying the Corrado because you love the Corrado - don't do it because you think it might be a cheaper way into big power. Because it really isn't!

[G60radoboi 10]

I will have to weigh up my options carefully though, I think I am not too fussed with BIG power but I want the car to have some poke, will NEVER get a BMW Kevin lol. So is the G60 not a 16v engine or are they either 8v or 16v like the old mk2 ibiza gti which came in the two variants?

[seanl82 23]

Only a handful of 16v-G60s were ever made I believe. You'd be extremely lucky to find a genuine original one for sale anywhere in the world!

[G60radoboi 10]

Only a handful of 16v-G60s were ever made I believe. You'd be extremely lucky to find a genuine original one for sale anywhere in the world!

 

Darn!!! LOL

[Abdul 0]

I'd get a VR and port the head and fit some Schimmel cams tbh along with a remap. That should on a healthy engine see 220 brake or there abouts and drive really well. With some 288/312 brakes and a decent suspension set up you'll have a great all rounder.

 

Chuck in a shorter final drive (3.68 i think) and LSD for more fun lol.

 

Or go 16V Turbo. :)

 

I've not driven a rado with 400 odd brake but even the 270 brake charged VR I drove felt at it's limits tbh. Kev knows his sh*t when it comes to this stuff.

[Yandards 0]

Only a handful of 16v-G60s were ever made I believe. You'd be extremely lucky to find a genuine original one for sale anywhere in the world!

 

About 5 in Corrado form and they were never available for sale to the general public.

 

You can get a G60 to put out stock VR power figures via a chip, pulley and smaller drive belt but the charger needs to have some history and be in good condition - that will set you back under £500.00.

 

As for what's best, owned both at the same time and to a similar condition in terms of age of suspension bits, 4 cylinder stuff is much much better through tight twisty stuff but the VR feels more planted, it's all about what you want from your drive really.

 

As for Corrados being quick, they just about keep pace with modern stuff as they are a tiny bit lighter and put out similar power.

[bristolbaron 10]

G60s are a lot of fun at around 220bhp.

VR's are no fun unless supercharged.

If you wanna go crazy R32 and then supercharge at a later date.

[G60radoboi 10]

I am torn now lol. I don't fancy spending heaps on a car agin to massive power. Lord knows I spent nigh on 8K on the leon to get it to the current spec and power and it was a lot of money so I do not ancy that again. I just want decent power so the G60 with 220BHP should see me well as this time I am also looking at making the car look great, so full body respray in a nice colour, coillies, brake upgrade and nice wheels (thinking euro look) and I will be happy. Not much I know hahahahaha Your feedback however has been wonderfull guys and I really do appreciate it. :thumbleft:

 

On a side note, what are the body / interior differences between the G60, VR and a 16 valver? :scratch:

[maff 10]

I would MUCH rather have a vr6, (ok i've had four) with 220bhp over a g60, one of the best sounding cars ever!! get a bmc cda on there and forget the stereo!

[robrado974 1]

Have always thought and been told the vr is a strong and reliable engine , Not being an expert but looking at engine sizes , isnt it a lot of strain on a g60 to mod it that too much ?

[seanl82 23]

1.8 16v and G60 have the early interior, 2.0 16v, VR6 and 2.0 8v had late interior, although there was a crossover where some earlier interiors were fitted to late cars (all that was left in the parts bin I suppose.) Changeover period was 93. Everything else was an option anyway apart from the Storm which had it all.

[G60radoboi 10]

1.8 16v and G60 have the early interior, 2.0 16v, VR6 and 2.0 8v had late interior, although there was a crossover where some earlier interiors were fitted to late cars (all that was left in the parts bin I suppose.) Changeover period was 93. Everything else was an option anyway apart from the Storm which had it all.

 

So ideally you reckon it would be best looking ffor a later model? Major differences between the two interiors and how easy is it to retro fit a later interior into the earlier one? I have seen a lot of ads for 1992 model where they say it has the late interior?

[seanl82 23]

Early interiors can fitted into late cars and vice versa I think, except for door cards. Door handles and electric window switches are in a different place. Yeah some late interiors made it into earlier cars too. Late model leather is better, but earlier cloth is better imo. Earlier leather is harder to find though, and late cloth doesn't always have the hump, which looks odd imo. I prefer the pattern and colours of earlier ones too.

[G60radoboi 10]

mmmmm Looks like I have my work cut out for me then finding the "right one" hahahahha