A replacement for the VW Beetle was on the horizon as early as the mid-1950s. Numerous prototypes were built, though none ever matriculated beyond internally assigned numbers like EA47 or EA97. Each was deemed to fall short of the popularity and economy of the Beetle. But as they say, timing is everything. Two decades later, Volkswagen entered a period of unmatched turbulence. It acquired Audi and NSU in time to be sideswiped by Richard Nixon’s move to end the dollar’s convertibility into gold. The Deutsche Mark skyrocketed in currency markets, crushing VW’s sales in the US. As if things couldn’t get worse, they did: the OPEC oil crisis ushered in previously inconceivable regulations in the US. Amidst this uncertainty, VW hired a new Director, Kurt Lotz. Lotz prioritized a replacement for the Beetle, and finally – given the availability of parts and engineering from the Audi/NSU mergers, and Giorgetto Giugiaro’s design talent – the Golf was introduced in 1974. Known in the US as the Rabbit, the front-wheel drive, two-box hatchback offered a variety of engine options. It was instantly successful. Here on eBay is a 1984 Rabbit GTI, priced at $21,000 or best offer. It’s located in South Burlington, Vermont.

The GTI came along in 1976 overseas and 1983 in the US, shoehorning between the “sports car” and “economy” genres to popularize the “hot hatch”. Finally, we could enjoy running errands! It wasn’t fast – the 1.8-liter, fuel-injected four-cylinder only mustered 90 hp while torque was about 105 lb-ft. But the five-speed manual was fun, and handling was better than most of its contemporaries. This odometer has registered 211,000 miles; whether mechanical maintenance has kept up with the turns on that dial is a question mark. The seller indicates the oil pan, gas tank, timing belt, water pump,  exhaust, cv boots, brakes and wheel bearings have been “recently” replaced. The suspension has been modified, and the wheels are not stock.

The interior is described as “really, really good,” but the carpets are clearly worn, and some surfaces are faded. The dash has survived well enough, and the headliner was repaired. I don’t like the gearshift knob, but I do like the groovy seat cloth. Very leftover ’70s. The seller notes that the HVAC system has been disconnected, and the radio does not work. The beauty of the hatchback is the cargo space under the rear glass, but also a cubbyhole in the “trunk”, where a few spare parts are kept.

Giugiaro is reputed to have said the Golf was his most important design ever. We can see his hand in the car’s crisp creases, but rather than being beautiful, the Rabbit presents as practical. The paint here is in decent condition, marred by just a couple of spots of wear. In fact, the overall impression here is slight wear throughout, weighed upon by the high mileage. Meanwhile, sparkling examples like this ’84 drew a high bid of just $15k, while this one failed to sell at $17,500. I think the “best offer” part of our seller’s pricing plan will need to come into play if this one is to find a new home.