Do you remember the first of the second run of the GTi? Not many do. It seems almost as though there was a jump straight from the original A1 chassis in 1984 up to the GTi 16V. Even then, finding the first of the 16V cars has become extremely tough. But the 1985-1987 8Vs? They’re just about gone. I remember wanting one with a passion; I had a 1986 Westmoreland Golf, and the GTi seemed like a pretty big step up. It was, in 1985 – selecting the GTi kicked your price up 30% from $7,000 to $9,000 automatically. For that additional amount, you got the HT high compression motor churning out a nice round 100 horsepower. But from a street credential standpoint, it wasn’t the 15 horsepower jump that was important; it was the 14″ alloy wheels, the rear spoiler, the red stripes, and that magical “GTi” badge surrounding the trim on the car. You also got a close-ratio 5-speed transmission, sport seats and a multi-function computer. This was high-tech stuff back in the day! GTis also sported 4-wheel disc brakes, an upgrade over the A1 chassis, along with dual sway bars and a leather wrapped steering wheel – a huge improvement over the stock (and very plastic) wheel in my Golf. But the 8V GTi was completely overshadowed in 1987 by the launch of the dual-cam 16V model. Now with 40 horsepower more than the standard Golf, it was a serious upgrade befitting its new $12,500 pricetag. Once in a while, though, a standard GTi pops up and reminds me of a simpler time:
