I considered a VR6 when looking at Valvers a few years ago.
The main thing that put me off was the cost of petrol. Lets face it, you dont buy a Golf for short B-road blasts - especially not one that is famed for unbalanced handling from the heavy lump up front. So, maybe youd buy it to cruise up and down the motorway system, racking up intergalactic mileages? Er, not with 20mpg you wouldnt!
Ergo, a more economical hot hatch is probably better suited. Id say a VR6 wouldnt be noticably faster than a Valver at legal(ish) speeds, handles worse and would cost a lot more to run from day to day. I am also really fed up of hearing how VWs run forever etc - its just not true, as is reflected by personal experience and their pretty iffy ranking in customer surveys. Yeah, Renault arent brill, but at least they dont have a false image of solidity. Leave it to the Volvos and old Mercs of this world.
Id choose the Mk1 172. Bit more anonymous that a Valver or Willy, but lots of toys, able, rapid and arent yet at the age where they become money pits.