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Tag: Hot hatch

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1984 Volkswagen GTi

It’s not often that lightning strikes twice, but today we get to look at another well preserved first generation GTi. Last week I highlighted an example with a bit more patina but well presented; today’s car is another one that we’ve written up that defies belief. There’s a reason that these cars are so well regarded by the automotive press and automotive fans; they’re amazing cars that make you smile. They punch far outside of their weight class – a do-everything automobile, most people that have owned them (this author included) drove them with aplomb – clipping apexes and lifting wheels, nearly daily redline-runs and antagonizing every “sports” car you could find. That likely explains why so few remain in the condition of this car:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Volkswagen GTi on eBay

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1984 Volkswagen GTi

Isn’t it amazing how far cars have come? Just yesterday, I was walking with my wife and we were talking about the cost of living today versus when our parents were our age. Certain things are significantly more expensive proportionate to what income was then; housing, for example, and utilities are – at least where we live – much more expensive than when our parents were young. In the early 1980s, the housing market was such that an average amount of money today would have bought you a real mansion – or in some cases, you could have easily owned two or three houses for the same amount as a not particularly extravagant home today. But then you turn to computers, phones, and music technology – remember the CD collection that you used to have? Or perhaps it’s taking up shelf space or boxes in the attic while you walk around with all of the music you can ever listen to on a device that’s smaller than your hand and cost only about a fifth of what a CD player cost new. But technology hasn’t just improved our musical library – technology has made cars safer, faster, and more luxurious – but amazingly, not more expensive. Sure, the dollar figures are higher and it’s worth a laugh looking at the original sticker price of this GTi; a paltry $10,300 in 1984. You can’t even buy a new car for that amount today! Of course, factor in inflation, though, and that $10,300 roughly equates to the best part of $24,000. Guess how much a base GTi costs today? I’ll save you some time….$24,395 gets you a base GTi. But base doesn’t mean what it used to – the “base” model comes with a 210 horsepower turbocharged inline-4, LED foglights, 18″ wheels, iPod connectivity, a touch screen radio, trip computer, and heated front seats – not to mention that things like power windows, air condition and power steering are all standard items now. Sure, as enthusiasts we can decry the nanny-state decreasing our connection with driving through technology and isolation, but ultimately the new GTi is just better at being a car than the original GTi was. It’s faster, turns better, stops better, is more comfortable, can carry more, gets better fuel mileage and is safer. Technology has helped this all occur with no real change in price, amazingly. Yet, we still look longingly at those old GTis, nostalgic for the days that you could toss a car around at 10/10ths without really even breaking laws:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Volkswagen GTi on German Cars For Sale Blog

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1997 BMW 318ti M-Sport

It seems like just yesterday I was writing up a clean 318ti M-sport. The condition was great on that particular example; miles were lower, it was all original and the color was nice. But there were several drawbacks, too – the California roof, while cool, was noted by one of our readers as a potential problem spot. Then there was the transmission; an automatic, it robbed a fair amount of the sport and fun out of the package. To top it off, there was the asking price – a staggering $13,000. As if to answer every single one of those points, another near-mint example of the rare to see M-Sport package has popped up this week; conventional sunroof, lower price and thank heavens a manual gearbox are the highlights here:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 BMW 318ti M-Sport on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday Un-pimp My Ride: 1992 Volkswagen GTi 16V G60

Edit: One of our Facebook readers – Steve – correctly noted that this is Capri Green and was an 8V Golf to start out. In some ways, that makes it better that a real 2.0 GTi wasn’t sacrificed, though my feelings about most of the modifications stay the same. Thanks Steve, and sorry for the mistake!

I’m fairly certain that with the right backing and skillful marketing I could pitch a show to one of those crappy cable networks. My premise? Take a car that has been modified and return it to OEM or OEM+ standards. Seriously, when talking about rare cars, aren’t there buyers for these rides? Don’t there seem to be lots of people endlessly browsing the internet looking for that hidden, unmodified and well-cared for gem that rarely surfaces? Heck, it’s what we’ve built a fair amount of our writing around. And even though there are plenty of people pining for original BMWs, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche models, there’s a special lot that love original Volkswagens. One of the biggest reasons they long for these “unicorn” models is that so few were properly cared for, and many of those that were have been modded within an inch of their life. Take the Mk.II GTi; a solid performing replacement for the “original” hot hatch. It’s near legendary status is well cemented in the halls of automotive history, and it’s even one of the few models that carries brand awareness outside of motoring circles. Seriously, even people who know almost nothing about cars know what a GTi is. Within the Mk.II crowd, there are several limited models that the U.S. didn’t receive, so our top of the heap has to be the 1990-1992 16V edition. With a close-ratio gearbox, revised and better integrated smooth big bumpers, the best set of BBS wheels and Recaro seats ever fitted to a Volkswagen and one stunner of a revy 2 liter inline-4, it was an awesome package. Specify it in Montana Green, and you’ve got the crowds drooling. Then someone goes and does this:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Volkswagen GTi 16V G60 on eBay

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Motorsport Mondays: 1997 BMW 318ti 454 Twin Turbo

There are a fair amount of people who don’t get the “stance” scene, and there are many others who don’t understand modifying a car to go to the track. There are those who don’t understand Concours shows, those who don’t understand not putting miles on a car, and an equal number who don’t understand daily driving a high-performance machine. There are diesel fans, turbo fans, V8 fans and even fans of the supercharger. There are people who love modifications and those who prefer their cars stock. For the most part, I “get” all of these camps; I don’t necessarily agree or favor any one in particular, but each has its own merits. There is one that still leaves me a bit mystified though – drag racing. I understand it takes tremendous skill to get a car dialed in; I appreciate the engineering that goes into overcoming physics. I am awed by the raw speed that these vehicles can produce – ballets of explosive violence, a concoction of sound, smells and disappearing cars. But I’ve never really understood the attraction of drag racing, though an unusual suspect can sure make me smile:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 BMW 318ti 454 Twin Turbo on eBay

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