Available mineralogical, petrological and geochronological data suggest that Variscan granitoids forming the hard core of Western Carpathian basement can no more be considered as one genetic group. The most reliable, U/Pb data allow their sub-dividing into three genetic groups which show generally S-, I- and A-type characteristics with decreasing age. Probably oldest, the S-type (monazite-bearing) group is related to thickening of crust and peak metamorphic conditions. The younger I-type (allanite-bearing) tonalites record a thermal event at the end of Carboniferous and coeval occurrence of acidic and mafic magmatism. The youngest, A-type tending group with documented Permian age, may be connected with post-orogenic consolidation and deep faulting. Muscovite dehydration melting of quartz-rich mica-bearing upper crustal rocks and biotite dehydration melting of intermediate biotite- and hornblende-bearing source lithologies is supposed for the S-type and I-type groups, respectively. The S- and I-type granitoids seem to be emplaced in the upper unit of the Variscan nappe structure.