This VR6 is the original 2.8-litre version, not the slightly more powerful (188bhp) 2.9-litre (Corrado engine) range-topping VR6, added to the range from 1994. There’s still 172bhp of naturally-aspirated glory to deploy though, and you’ll certainly want to wring every last one of those from all six of its closely-spaced cylinders, as the noise this engine makes has always been the VR6’s party piece.

Satin Silver is a rarely seen shade on this model, especially with the rate of attrition that’s tormented the VR6-powered VWs. Not only have the usual culprits like accident damage and rust significantly thinned the herd, but also the desirability of that engine has led to many being ripped from Golfs, Ventos and Passats to power older GTis.

With considerably less than average miles, this 26-year old super hatch comes with air-conditioning and a manual transmission; the latter, a vital addition, transforming the character of this Golf from a six-cylinder cruiser to B-road bruiser.

The paint finish to this three-door VR6 generally presents well, with a high degree of shine. There are some areas of past repair, the most obvious being the driver’s rear three-quarter and wheel arch. Aside from this area, panel shut lines look neat and uniform, though we think the bonnet could do with some adjustment to close fully flush. The period correct BBS multi-spoke wheels are looking very well, with several of their budget tyres still showing fitting paste and plenty of fresh tread.

The originality of this VR6 is refreshing, especially when so many had to endure the Max Power era and all of the connotations that brought with it. The only deviation from standard, that we could see, were smoked side repeater indicators, which were standard on the VR6 Highline anyway, so barely a deviation. The cosmetics otherwise seem to remain precisely as Wolfsburg intended.

Glass looks clear throughout with even the low-slung fog light and front indicator lenses remaining crack-free. There’s been a little paint removal thanks to errant stones on the front bumper and splitter, but it’s far from an eye sore. Though the messy finish to the sealant surrounding front and rear screens is a little unsightly.

It’s nice to come across a VR6 with cloth seats as the majority, especially those fitted with air-conditioning, seem to sport leather versions. As a more up-market Golf, designed to tempt BMW owners, the VR6 was always offered a bit more opulence inside than its lesser, four-cylinder siblings.

There’s a lovely leather steering wheel and gear knob, plus sports seats with supportive bolsters and VW floor mats protecting the pile. An aftermarket but quality Alpine stereo has also been added to the dash, reassuringly it’s not feeding any huge component speakers hacked into the parcel shelf (as was the trend at the time). The rear shelf on this Golf remains hack-free and looking great.

The seats and door-card fabric are also generally looking great, but there are a few little frays, scratches and stains here and there. The most obvious issue with this VR6’s cabin is its hanging headlining, that’s lost adhesion in several places. There’s a little mould staining on the sunroof blind too, suggesting past (or present) water ingress from either the sunroof or windscreen seals. This can hardly be described as severe however, yet will need tracking down. A new headlining might not be needed, as the original fabric remains and could likely be glued back in place. 

There aren’t too many giveaways in the car’s limited history to indicate its mechanical condition, but a shuffle underneath for a look didn’t reveal any obvious nasties. There was a little oil mist on the subframe, but this looks to have dried long ago. The rest of the components all show surface corrosion, with the front suspension, exhaust and fuel tank straps all overdue a session with a wire brush and a can of Hammerite, though nothing appears to be significantly weakened. This is backed up by a pretty clean MoT pass rate.

Wheel arches still have their factory plastic protective shields, as does the engine undertray, which all appear to be hanging in well, without any of the frequently seen cracks or damage to their mounts. The engine bay itself looks tidy, without any palpable signs of leaks. The confines of this Golf’s ’bay do make it hard to explore too much, but we saw a good sign of maintenance from the correct (pink) antifreeze in the expansion tank, even if it was a little overfull.

There are very few invoices in this car’s history, it’s mostly made up of old MoT certificates. Though we did see a bill for wheel bearing and service parts, bought in 2014 from AVS Car Parts, Swaffham, Norfolk (£91.26) with a pair of rear axle bushes (£12.10). There’s also a confirmation letter from Volkswagen Financial Services from August 2001 stating that there was no outstanding finance and an RAC inspection from the same time highlighting nothing more significant than a missing battery clip. There’s also a far more up-to-date HPI check giving an all-clear too.

This highly-original VR6 has low miles and generally great condition on its side. The top money being paid for these cars is now finally matching their performance, so getting into one at a sensible price is proving harder by the year.

With the few cosmetic issues put right and an up-to-date and thorough service receipt in its history, this VR6 is bound to make you enjoy the roar of its angry narrow-angle engine.

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £5,000 - £8,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Drayton, Oxfordshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.