GTI

Hot Hatch Survivor: 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI

The original Mini Cooper S proved that a small front-wheel-drive car could possess competent handling and astonishing performance levels. Volkswagen chose to take this concept a step further when they introduced the Golf/Rabbit GTI. This was a car that… more»

Hot-Rod Rabbit! 1984 Volkswagen GTI

Here’s a tribute to the Catman! That probably makes no sense but the Catman was a friend that I knew many years ago and he bought this very VW GTI model, color and all, new in 1984. And the… more»

Practical Fun: 1989 Volkswagen GTI 16V

If you’re a longtime Barn Finds follower then you may remember the first project that Josh and I documented here on the site. It was a GTI that we found along the road. We thought it might be an… more»

Hot Hatch: 1981 Volkswagen Golf GTI

There were a number of cars that preceded the Golf GTI to launch the trend of the Hot Hatch, but the Golf is the car that is acknowledged as the car that defined the term. Barn Finder Drew Z… more»

32k Original Miles: 1984 VW GTI

If you’re a European car enthusiast, it’s hard to ignore the attraction to the first-generation VW GTI. This car checks a lot of boxes: it was iconic; it was fun to drive; it inspired an entire class of entry-level… more»

Rarely Stock: 1984 VW GTI

This first-generation VW GTI is said to have just 73,000 miles from new and remain in preserved condition. The seller claims he is selling the MK1 hot hatch due to lack of use and the desire to own a… more»

Enhanced by Neuspeed: Callaway MK2 VW GTI

In the 1980s, tuner cars were at their peak, with aftermarket companies getting astoundingly close to the OEMs in modifying vehicles barely off the assembly line. From ASC to Callaway, these companies were commissioned with tackling multiple projects on… more»

Refreshed Yet Unrestored: 1984 VW GTI

This 1984 VW GTi is a largely original example that has undergone some basic refreshes to make it a pleasant daily driver. Said to have a tick over 100,000 original miles, the MK1 was put into storage in 1997… more»

20K Miles from New: 1996 VW GTI

This one brings back memories: a 1996 Volkswagen GTI, seemingly new in the wrapper with just 20,000 original miles. I owned this car’s sibling in high school, a 1999 VW Jetta Wolfsburg Edition, that I loved to bits. This… more»

Two Owner 16 Valve: 1987 VW GTI

Despite once being incredibly common, the second generation models of Volkswagen’s U.S. lineup have all but disappeared from American roads. This is especially true of the so-called “hot” models like the 16-valve GTIs and Jetta GLIs. Unfortunately, years of… more»

Red Hot Rabbit: 1984 Volkswagen GTI

Here’s a little ruby gem: a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI, the vaunted Mark I version of VW’s iconic hot hatch—well, sort of. This U.S.-built car is a pretty different animal from the Golf GTI introduced in Europe in 1976,… more»

63k Mile 1983 Volkswagen GTI

One of our first projects that we featured here on the site was a Volkswagen GTI that we found in a field. Josh and I tracked down the owner, paid him $400, and dragged it home. It was clapped… more»

Rusty Rabbit: 1984 VW Rabbit GTI

VW had a hit on its hands with the original GTI and even though this one isn’t in great shape, rust-wise, it’s probably worth bringing back to life. This 1984 VW Rabbit GTI is listed here on craigslist in Fairport, New… more»

1984 VW GTI: $900 Runner

Here’s a very cheap MK1 VW GTI that still runs and comes with a boatload of spare parts, including a replacement interior. Available for $900 here on craigslist in Ohio, it will require repair to the hard fuel lines… more»

1984 VW GTI: MK1 Survivor

This is one of those cars I’m going to kick myself later for not buying when they were cheap. Thankfully, they made a lot them so you can always find a project-grade example, but for low-mileage survivors like this… more»

Is It A Classic Yet? 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

First off, it’s NOT a diesel! Early Generation 1 GTI’s, the first ‘”hot hatch,” have been recognized in Europe as classics for a while now, and I’ve started to see some indications that the North American market is starting… more»