AUTONEWS

Absolute rarity: Original 1981 VW Golf GTI MK1 is for sale

The history of the Volkswagen Golf GTI is full of successes. It is considered by many to be the hot hatchback par excellence, a sporty compact with respectable performance and levels of practicality that make it very usable even on a daily basis. This story began 46 years ago, in 1976, and continues to this day in what is now its eighth generation. Today we travel back in time and discover this impeccable original 1981 Volkswagen Golf GTI MK1 that went on sale recently in the Netherlands.

The first 'Gran Turismo Injection' gained the reputation of being the purest GTI in the saga. It was launched on the market in 1976 together with a 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter gasoline engine with Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical injection and a 4-speed manual transmission (later a 5-speed).

The engine of the first Golf GTI developed 110 hp of power at 6,100 rpm. This figure may not be exactly high today, but in 1976 and with an empty weight of 810 kg, it made the German compact really fast. So much so, that the GTI MK1 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds and reached a top speed of over 180 km/h.

The Volkswagen Golf shown in the images was licensed in 1981 and is finished in Alpine White over a black leather and fabric interior with a red pattern. The set rests on a set of 13-inch wheels and retains the characteristic black grille with the red stripe and the 'GTI' acronyms that so much represent the first generation. It features an opening sunroof, a steering wheel with GTI inscription, a golf ball-shaped gearshift grip and a temperature gauge in the center console.

This immaculate 1981 Volkswagen Golf GTI MK1 has just been put up for sale at the Dutch specialist Premium Classics. At that moment, the marker indicates that it has driven 73,263 kilometers in the last 41 years and this, together with its good condition in general with the paintwork still original, makes the price tag skyrocket. The seller asks 32,950 euros for this German classic.