Few car models have as loyal a following as the GTI, as it enters its 8th and quite possibly final generation, we can only but appreciate the wonderful cars Volkswagen have given us over the years, all wearing this most coveted of badges.
The biggest problem we all have with hatchbacks is that although they are pretty efficient and practical, they are not always fun, and the biggest issue we have with sports cars is that no matter how fun they are, they are simply not very efficient or practical. VW saw the hole in the market first and brought out a hot version of their new practical hatchback, even though it might not have been the first true hot hatch, it set the benchmark for what a good hot hatch should be, bringing affordable, practical performance to the masses.
10 Performance Icon
With a 0-60 time of a shade under 10 seconds and a shade over 100 horsepower, the average modern crossover wouldn’t have much trouble seeing off an old MkI GTI in a straight line.
Back in the late 70s with the oil crisis in full swing all over the world, those performance numbers were actually unheard of, not because it wasn’t possible, but nothing that got the same mileage as the Golf could even come close. Not even the small British and Italian sports cars could match it.
9 Practical Fun
The few small cars that could match the fuel efficiency and hauling capability, were all underpowered econoboxes that slowly but surely eroded your soul away.
What the GTI did was show the world that a car can indeed be both fun and practical, and the little Golf was particularly fun on back roads with a taut little chassis.
8 Hot Hatch Benchmark
Although they certainly were not the first manufacturer to try their hand at making a quick hatchback, that honor actually belongs to lesser known Italian carmaker Autobianchi (pictured).
It was just that VW happened upon the perfect blend of fun and practicality, it became the gold standard which all manufacturers would follow in years to come.
7 Mk2 16V
Time marched on, and the market desperately wanted a slightly bigger car, VW duly obliged and launched the Mk2 back in 1984. For the most part, its reception was pretty flat, as it gained weight and didn’t gain any real performance.
That was until 1986 when the 16 valve version was released packing 139 horsepower, a substantial bump in power and arguably the car of the decade.
6 Leap Forward In Safety
By the 90s, the Mk2 was looking decidedly dated, even with the big bumper. The Mk3 came out looking typically 90s, with softer lines, more crumple zones and for the first time in a Golf, airbags.
As a standard economy car the Mk3 was great, but in GTI guise it wasn’t just the lines that were softer, everything was softer and hot hatch fans were left unimpressed with the more practically minded GTI.
5 Turbo Hatch
After the failings of the Mk3, VW sought out to bury their demons with the first ever turbocharged GTI. It was a sales success, but clearly more luxury oriented, and you would need to turn to the aftermarket if you wanted to get any real performance out of the 1.8 liter turbo.
4 Mk5 Comeback Kid
The Mk5 was a huge return to form for VW, it was the best GTI for quite some time and once again became the benchmark hot hatch. Its reign at the top was short-lived, as the hot hatch segment was busy exploding, and every year cars were coming out with more and more power. Even so, the sheer quality of the Mk 5 meant it stood tall throughout its production run.
3 Modern Classics
All the GTI models, even the unloved Mk3 and 4 cars are modern classics today, not only do they represent the evolution of the model, but the way we all look at cars.
Although we all want a fast/fun car, we all need something practical too, and unfortunately not all of us have room in the budget for a second (or third) car to fulfill that desire. The Golf GTI has always been there to be our “one car” if we so choose.
2 Engineering Excellence
The latest models are very well engineered, have all the latest technology and a top-notch chassis that will inspire a new generation of enthusiasts.
Today we don’t only demand comfort and space from our daily drivers but also connectivity and convenience, the latest GTI delivers in this respect but die hard fans will note that a key component is now missing; affordability.
1 A GTI For Everyone
As we see what is most likely going to be the last generation of GTI on the market at a price most of us might not consider “attainable” there is always a GTI out there if you really want one.
Everyone has a favorite, if you are willing to shell out for the latest model you won’t be disappointed, but these are still affordable fun cars if you are willing to buy used.