GOLF GTI MK1

About the Golf GTI Mk1

The GTI began as a quasi-skunkworks job and ended up founding a class. Volkswagen showed it at the 1975 Frankfurt IAA and put it on sale in June 1976: an Audi-sourced, fuel-injected 1.6 with 110 PS, 810 kg, suspension 10 mm lower at the front and 20 mm at the rear, 0-100 km/h in 9.0 seconds and 182 km/h flat out. Chrome went black, the grille got a red surround, the seats got tartan and the gear lever became a golf ball. A 1.8 with 112 PS arrived in 1982. America got its own in 1983 as the Rabbit GTI, built in Pennsylvania, with 90 hp after emissions equipment. The 5,000-car plan finished at 461,690.