Sports coupe? Hot hatch? Or pristine Camper? When you're looking for a usable classic, VW is the go-to marque. Volkswagen after all translates as "people's car" so it's no surprise that what you might call people's classics started out on the production line at Wolfsburg. These classic VWs are collectors' cars that really won't require a lottery win to keep on the road – or require air conditioned storage and a personal mechanic to keep them purring happily. The only difficulty is deciding which one's for you.
3 classic VWs we're loving
VW Corrado VR6 | Price: £26,995 | Year: 1995 | Engine: 2,861 cc V6, 187 bhp
The sleek VW coupe that thinks it's a small Ferrari, without any of the daily compromise or breathtaking expense. This immaculate Candy White Corrado boasts the desirable - and powerful - V6, reaching 60 mph in a still more-than-respectable six seconds and is good for 145 mph if you've a handy race track nearby. The black leather sports seats will hold you nicely in place as you hit the corners and when you do need to go to the supermarket there is - being a VW - plenty of room under the rear hatch. There's also a discreet active rear spoiler, deployed above 62 mph. With little over 30,000 miles on the clock, this is a coupe that has many miles left in it yet - and an exterior design that to our eyes looks even better than when it was first launched.
VW T25 Autosleeper | Price: £25,995 | Year: 1983 | Engine: 1,915 cc flat four, 78 bhp
Who hasn't dreamed of life on the road in a classic VW Camper? This T25 is just the ticket, with a barely believable 45,000 miles on the clock in its 38 years - and with more than £17,000 spent to restore it to the almost as-new condition you see here. The correct Marsala Red exterior paintwork has been renewed by a Surrey body shop that's more accustomed to refreshing classic Aston Martins. Interior upholstery has been retrimmed by the high-end specialists at Strong & Turton Ltd to rigorous standards and there are even new curtains, in a jaunty seaside stripe. The factory pop-up roof is in perfect shape and so meticulous was the restoration that even the steel wheels have been refurbished. Now all you need is a bucket and spade. Irresistible.
VW Golf GTi Mk2 | Price: £19,995 | Year: 1997 | Engine: 1,781 cc inline four, 110 bhp
Subtle Pearl Grey Metallic paintwork disguises a true pocket rocket. VW invented what we now call the hot hatch with the first Golf GTi. Prices of Mk1 examples are now generally out of reach - but luckily the Mk2 GTi is not only faster and more fun to drive but, for now anyway, affordable. With a mere 37,000 miles on the clock and just three owners, this remarkable example boasts an unmarked exterior and an equally immaculate interior featuring eye-catching grey and red upholstery that speaks eloquently of its period. Design simplicity extends to the original steel wheels and to the three door layout, typical of these early GTi models. To those in the know, the red stripe around the grille speaks of its GTi status - and that's before you deploy the remarkably powerful 1.8 litre engine. The ultimate everyday classic? We think so.
Discover another classic: the super-rare BMW E30 M3 Cecotto.
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