December 19, 2024 - Danny Lopez // News, VR6

Farewell to the VR6: The King is Dead, Long Live the King

December 12, 2024, marked the end of an era for car enthusiasts. In a LinkedIn post from earlier this week, Andreas G. Schleith shared that Volkswagen has officially retired the VR6 engine after 34 years of changing the game. Sure, production already ended in some places around the world years ago, but this is the global grand finale. But us diehards, this isn’t the end. It’s just another chapter in a story that we’re still writing. The VR6 might not be rolling off production lines anymore, but it’s alive and well in our garages and on the roads.

Redefining What an Engine Could Be

When the VR6 debuted in 1991, it wasn’t just another engine—it was a statement. Volkswagen found a way to pack 6 cylinder power into a tight, compact design that fit like a glove into front-wheel-drive cars. The 15-degree cylinder bank angle made it possible, and the result was an engine that delivered on both performance and practicality. Sure, they took some strong inspiration from Lancia and their V4s of old, so it was not a completely new concept, but VW is absolutely credited with finding a way to make it reliable, and give it global appeal.

It first hit the streets in the Golf Mk3 and Corrado, turning heads with 174 horsepower and a sound that instantly stood out. Over the years, the VR6 evolved with displacements up to 3.6 liters, but it never lost what made it special: a mix of balance, power, and engineering ingenuity that set it apart.

More Than Just an Engine—It’s Personal

For those of us who love the VR6, it’s not just about stats and specs. It’s about connection. It’s about wrenching on a project car with your friends, lining up at meets to compare builds, driving through the woods hearing those wookies growl, and feeling that surge of pride every time you hit the throttle. The VR6 doesn’t just power cars; it powers a community.

From the Golf and Passat to more unexpected places like the Phaeton and even a few RVs and forklifts, the VR6 proved it could do it all. And yeah, some people will tell you there are better engines out there by the numbers, but we know the truth: the VR6 is one of a kind.

The End of Production Isn’t the End of the Story

Volkswagen’s shift toward EVs makes sense for the times, but let’s face it—nothing’s replacing the VR6 for us. This is just another reason to double down on keeping the spirit alive. Communities like VRSociety exist for this exact purpose: to share builds, swap tips, and keep the passion burning. Who knows? If we keep the passion alive, it may come back as something special geared just towards us enthusiasts in the not-so-distant future.

P.S., if you're a VR6 fanatic—and if you're reading this you likely are—you absolutely need to add Wookies in the Woods to your calendar. WITW is an annual early-spring gathering of Volkswagen R32 enthusiasts at the Tail of the Dragon that for VR enthusiasts is a must-attend event! In addition to driving events, WITW emphasizes community and philanthropy, raising substantial funds for various charities. It's as much about the people and community as it is the cars.

A Legacy That Lives On

The aftermarket world has our back, too. Turbo kits, custom parts, and performance upgrades aren’t going anywhere. Every time someone fires up their VR6, it’s proof that this engine isn’t just part of the past—it’s part of the future we’re creating for it.

I mean hell...HPA Motorsports will build you an OEM-fit-and-finish monster using the latest variant of the VR6—the 2.5 liter DDKA factory tubrocharged variant—tuned to over 550hp in a MK7.5 Golf R chassis. HST Turbotuning is building new aftermarket billet VR6 blocks, both wet and dry, to make more power reliably than ever before, on top of losing that 34 year old cast-iron block bloat to boot! The VR isn't going anywhere. Legends never die.

VRs aren't just an engine—they're a way of life. It showed us what’s possible when engineering meets passion, and that’s something worth holding onto. For the VRSociety community and anyone who’s ever fallen for the charm of the VR6, the journey isn’t over. This is just the next phase.