How can you combine the advantages of a front-wheel drive car with a transversely mounted engine with those of a 6-cylinder engine?
In the early 1990s, Volkswagen presented a true engineering feat with the 2.8 and later the 2.9 liter VR6: a six-cylinder engine that was compact enough to be mounted transversely in front-wheel drive vehicles. The name VR stands for "V-Reihenmotor" (V-inline engine) - a combination of V and inline design with only one cylinder head.
What was so special about the VR6 layout?
The VR6 has six cylinders arranged at an unusually narrow 15° angle to each other - this allows for a very compact design and yet good running smoothness. It is an engine with only one cylinder head for all six cylinders and a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) driven by a timing chain.
The engine was produced with a bore of 81 mm and a stroke of 90.3 mm (2.8L) or 82 mm/90.3 mm (2.9L), respectively. Depending on the version, this results in 174 to 190 HP, combined with an unmistakable sound that gained many fans - not least due to the characteristic firing order.
Was VW's VR6 the first VR engine in history?
Interestingly, the basic principle of the VR engine - a narrow cylinder angle design with a common cylinder head - originally goes back to Lancia. As early as the 1960s, a narrow V4 engine with a similar layout was installed in the Lancia Fulvia. More on this here.
Weaknesses - typical VR6
The first VR6 also had its peculiarities:
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Cylinder head gasket failures due to thermal overload
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Timing chain stretching with rattling noises during cold start
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Cooling problems with poorly maintained systems
These problems can be managed well with high-quality spare parts and regular service.
In which models was the 12V VR6 used?
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VW Corrado VR6 2.9
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VW Golf III VR6 2.8
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VW Golf III VR6 2.9 as Syncro
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VW Passat B4 VR6
- VW Sharan / Ford Galaxy 2.8
- VW Transporter T4 2.8
- VW Golf 2 (thousands of conversions)
Why is the cylinder head gasket such a clear identifying feature of the VR6?
Anyone who has ever seen a VR6 head gasket recognizes it immediately: its shape is unique. Arranged in 2 rows, but combined in one cylinder head, on one plane, and thus in one head gasket. The VR6 keychain shows this ingenious technology as directly as possible.
