1988-1995 Volkswagen Corrado

📸: Photo courtesy Hemmings.com

Turns out we were wrong about which company released the first adjustable aerodynamic device on a production car. It wasn't Porsche, but venerable Volkswagen, with their Corrado hot hatchback. The Corrado's wing extended at 45 mph and retracted at 15 mph.

📸: Photo courtesy Momentcar.com

The Corrado was designed by Herbert Schafer, and served as the eventual replacement to the VW Scirrocco, the company's previous sportscar. Based on a front-wheel drive design, the Corrado came with a number of engines, from 1.8 and 2 liter inline 4's, including a 160 horsepower supercharged version called the G60, all the way up to a 2.9 liter 187 horsepower VR6.

📸: Photo courtesy ConsumerGuide.com

The Corrado sold fairly well for VW, and almost 100,000 were produced.