This Mk1 VW Golf GTi Cabriolet will outlive us
It is easy to think you are a car enthusiast when you have more than one car and you spend most of your free time with car clubs and on weekend drives.
Over the decades of being an automotive journalist, we have had the opportunity of test driving some of the best cars in the world along some of the most interesting roads in Europe and also Asia.
Yes, it has been a ‘hobby’ that pays the bills and more.
However, when we get home and settle in, it is our personal car collection (small and much loved) that still pulls at our driving emotions.
Reconnect the battery terminals (hardly used due to our hectic weekly test drive sessions), check all the liquid levels and ignite the engine, and it is time to enjoy some motoring joy.
Yes, it may not be fast, it might not corner on ‘rails’ and it will not accelerate like a battery powered hot hatch, but this 4-decade old VW Golf still has more charm over a brand new faceless electric car.
Let’s rewind and share with you why we love this car so much.
As a young student in England, we looked at the many choices of cars available and never really noticed the Mk1 Golf until a classmate with ‘well to do’ parents bought him a 1982 VW Golf GTi. This generous person allowed us to drive it one weekend and after a few miles done we were very impressed. Well, at the time, our driving experience was limited to a handful of Japanese sedans and British cars.
Years later, education done and working in Malaysia, we were driving a Japanese hatchback and on occasion will spot a Mk1 VW Golf GTI in the city. This was a rare car and mostly private imported units by individuals.
Some years passed and we found a white Mk1 VW Golf GTI hardtop on sale. We negotiated the price and it was ours. We loved it, but it was rusting in many areas. The previous owner had not done enough to preserve the body and engine firewall.
Then this cabriolet Mk1 VW Golf GTI (pictured here) came into the market. Very minimal rust, mostly original and accident free. We took ownership.
Over the next few months we worked to find and change as many non original parts as possible, like the alloy wheels, the fog-lamps, radio antenna and even factory spec suspension setup. We wanted the original ride height and reverted back to the factory spec 14-inch alloy wheels.
We have little maintenance issues as this Mk1 VW Golf GTI is hardly used (once to twice a week) and there is NO monthly installments. Parts and servicing is relatively easy and you don’t need a specialist as it is a rather simple car.
In our garage we have two more water cooled Volkswagens. Both very rare and in almost perfect running condition. We have a VW Corrado G60 (only a handful surviving in Asia) and we recently acquired a Mk2 VW Golf GTI 16v (even this only a handful in Asia right now) which has been fully restored with original ‘period’ VW Recaro front seats (both these cars will have their own story to tell soon).
Since then, we have sold the hardtop white Mk1 VW Golf GTI to a friendly party who still has it and we have our lovely cabriolet (pictured here).
Meanwhile, here are some MK1 GTi Facts
In 1976 VW engineers wanted a car to rival the Porsche 911 in excitement but without the high asking price and they did just that. It was a clear winner which spawned the GTi craze in Europe.
In Europe, the GTi had started life with a 1.6-litre engine that was rather uninspiring against the early Ford Escorts and even the E21 BMW 320i.
Designed as a front-engined, front-wheel drive replacement for the Beetle, the Golf’s tight boxy purposeful lines were penned by famed designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. So instant was its success that by October 1976 one million Golf’s had already rolled off the production line.
The 1982 GTi’s entered Malaysia for the first time with parallel importers (the then new VW importer was ‘Champion Motors’) and it came standard with electric windows and air-conditioning but missed out on such basic items as electric mirror adjustment, power steering and a remote rear hatch release.
However, you did get firm red and black lined Recaro designed seats and the legendary ‘golf’ ball gear knob. Steering feel was one of the best on the business and muscle bound heavy if you opted for larger 15 or 16-inch alloys. Standard alloys were BBS 14-inch cross spoke with 185/60/14 tyres.
So, 6.72 million units of the first generation Golf in various variants has been delivered around the globe.
