Vehicle Description
This is it, the car that started the entire hot hatch phenomenon,
the Volkswagen GTI. We wouldn't have cars like the Subaru WRX, the
Ford Focus RS, the Mitsubishi Evo, or anything else with four
cylinders designed only to make the driver smile. And with all that
in mind, collectors are waking up to the fact that the GTI is a
sure-fire future collectable that's still a ton of fun right
now.
Bright Royal Red was one of four colors offered on the GTI (the
others being black, silver and white) and shockingly enough, this
is original paint. It's shockingly well preserved, especially given
the fact that it's more than 25 years old and has seen 216,000
miles (don't worry, all the mechanicals are new). Original paint
means that it's never been wrecked or rusty and the quality of the
lowly Rabbit shines through here, with great panel gaps and doors
that fit remarkably well. There are, of course, signs of use, but
they're far gentler than you'd expect from a car designed for fun
on the road, and the overall presentation is pretty impressive. The
GTI also got a number of unique upgrades, including the blacked-out
bumpers and grille with red surround, different taillights (that
were actually borrowed from the Euro-spec Golf), as well as the GTI
emblems on the hatch. Oh, and that hatch was blacked out to give
the rear end a sleeker look, an effect that still works rather well
today.
The interior was upgraded over the standard Rabbit fare, starting
with deeper bucket seats that were better-suited to the spirited
driving this car would enjoy. The cool plaid upholstery was Europe
only, but the red striped fabric used here is NOS, so it matches
what would have been here in 1984. The rest of the interior is
original, and again, it shows that this is a car that has been
loved from the very beginning, because it's in fantastic condition.
The factory gauges are housed in a rectangular pod that's pretty
basic, but the GTI got a special 4-spoke steering wheel and a
center console with auxiliary gauges. You'll also note that there
are five gears on the transmission knob, not four as in the
standard car, which makes a big difference in performance and
comfort. There's a period AM/FM stereo and yes, this one is
equipped with factory A/C, another rare find. The back seat is
actually big enough for real-sized adults and the cargo bay is
neatly upholstered in matching red carpet.
The GTI got a warmed-over version of VW's 1.8 liter inline-four,
but it wasn't about horsepower, it was about the total package.
This one has been recently rebuilt, including a fresh bottom end,
so it's ready to rock. It starts easily and idles nicely thanks to
factory fuel injection and it pulls with enthusiasm through the
gears. There's an aluminum radiator up front and the A/C compressor
takes up what little space is left up front. Clutch take-up is
light and the entire suspension has been rebuilt and features new
Bilstein struts and polyurethane bushings. The brakes were also
rebuilt and seem more than adequate for the lightweight GTI and
it's just shockingly clean underneath. The exhaust is recent and
gives the little VW a snarky growl and it hunkers down on correct
14-inch alloys with 185/60/14 performance radials.
Don't let the mileage discourage you, this is a very clean,
straight, well-maintained GTI with fresh mechanicals that's ready
to go. Relive the great days of the mid-80s with an icon. Call
today!