After 33 years of making South African petrolheads weak in the knees, Volkswagen has officially produced its last VR6 engine. This iconic powerplant, which became the heart of the Golf, Jetta, and a whole host of VW and Audi models, is finally taking a bow.
The VR6 made its debut in 1991, and it didn’t take long for South Africans to fall in love with the 2.8-litre version, especially in the Golf and Jetta 3. Sure, it wasn’t exactly pocket change, but that 128kW made it a bona fide hotshot in its heyday. The VR6 also powered everything from the legendary Corrado Coupe to the Porsche Cayenne, and in the 2000s, even found a home in the Touareg and the mighty Passat R36 (where it cranked out a respectable 221kW).
But let’s not forget those spicy Golf 4 and 5 R32s, with the 3.2-litre version pushing a thrilling 184kW. And in 2018, a South African enthusiast managed to stuff a 225kW VR6 engine into a Citi Golf, showcasing the engine’s lasting appeal.
Volkswagen’s communications manager in Wolfsburg, Andreas G. Schleith, confirmed the engine’s retirement with a sentimental LinkedIn post, noting that almost 1.87 million VR6 engines had been made in its illustrious run. While the VR6 may be saying its goodbyes, its roar will echo in the hearts of car enthusiasts around the world for many years to come.
So, here’s to the VR6 – an engineering marvel that combined the compactness of a 4-cylinder with the power of a V6, and became a legend. The end of an era… but also the start of a new chapter for the VW engine lineup.