1982 Volkswagen Golf

A late-model example, this Mk1 Golf GTI is from 1982, although with multiple upgrades, it’s far from how it would’ve originally looked and felt. The most prominent of which has to be the yellow paint job. But it wasn’t just a paint replacement task that the car was treated to; instead, it was stripped to bare metal for a thorough restoration, and not just for the body and paint but also mechanicals. The vendor has included some notes on that which can be found below.

Manufactured in 1982, the car was imported into Ireland in 2004 and displays 160,000+ miles on the odometer. Its overall condition can’t be faulted due to the extent of the restoration. Also included in the detailed gallery below are its photos when it was being repainted. It is true that this is not the most original example out there, given that it’s got a new, non-standard paint along with other upgrades like wheels, seats, exhausts, etc., but it reflects the owner’s taste, and offers the new owner an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. If you’re looking for a Golf GTI (Mk1) which looks different, this won’t disappoint.

Volkswagen quite possibly commissioned the task of designing the Beetle replacement to the designer most fitting for the role, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Nearly five decades from when it first appeared, the Golf still looks appealing now, pretty much like his other designs from the era including the original Fiat Panda. And with nearly 7 million units of the Mk1 Golf sold, it was certainly a blockbuster for Volkswagen. What’s surprising is that the ‘Sport Golf’ concept, which eventually turned into the Golf GTI was planned to have a small production run of about 5,000 units, but its popularity turned things around, and by the time VW decided to introduce the Mk2 Golf GTI, it had manufactured 461,690 units of this performance hatchback already. And a lot of credit for that success goes to the car’s styling.

This 1982 example was originally green (you can check the paperwork below) and after a comprehensive restoration, in which it was stripped to bare metal and repainted, it got a new colour. It has aftermarket wheels, a large twin-tip muffler, Zender roof spoiler, and smoked tail lamps. The latter are period correct wide ones; in shape, at least. The front also has a grille extension/spoiler, bumper spoiler, and colour-coded ‘GTI’ badge. The paint is bright and shiny, and apart from minute blemishes, the bodywork seems to be in good shape.

The cabin of the Mk1 Golf GTI, while not too different from the standard car, had a lot of elements which became standard bits for the many future GTIs. Even the lesser GT models of smaller cars like the Polo drew inspiration from these. And then there was the simplicity, which was also very effectively showcased by the exterior styling, that made the Mk1 Golf’s cabin likeable. It was well-built and definitely a step up from the Beetle’s design.

The example we have here does deviate from the original interior and loses the tartan-pattern seats in favour of Raceland sports seats. The golf ball gear knob has made way for a conventional one, but on the whole, the dashboard remains close to stock. The gauges have moved upwards on the top portion of the dashboard whereas the radio is placed on the lower half of the centre console. The car has a Blaupunkt Radio with Pioneer speakers in the doors and Sony ones on the parcel tray at the rear. The overall condition of the cabin seems to be decent, with the dashboard devoid of any cracks and discolouration. The rest of the cabin is, while far from pristine, looks good too.

The hot hatchback segment would’ve been a lot different if Volkswagen hadn’t put the ‘Sport Golf’ concept into production. And its effects can be seen everywhere; from the nearly half-a-million sales VW made of a car that was initially supposed to have a production run of just 5000 examples to how the segment has widened ever since to accommodate new models and cater to the demands of an ever-increasing customer base. The formula for the Mk1 Golf GTI was simple (and effective): a powerful naturally aspirated engine in a well-balanced front-wheel-drive chassis. It was praised by the press and the customers alike; and driving one wouldn’t be too different an experience now.

Even if we’re talking about this well-restored one, which benefits from mechanical upgrades. According to the owner, the GTI’s engine was disassembled, checked and cleaned. Other bits that were replaced include the water pump, belts, wiring, fuel lines, brake lines, brake discs and pads, tyres, etc. It’s currently on 195/50 R15 Sunwide RS-One tyres. Like both the bodywork and interior, which appear to be rust-free, the underside is clean. This is a 1982 car, which means it came with the 1.8-litre engine, which was more powerful than the earlier 1.6 and was also offered on the Mk2 GTI that followed.

The Golf GTI was showcased at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1975 and was made available to the public in 1976. It was sold for about eight years, during which, VW made a few changes to the Golf: updates to the engine and gearbox choices, the inclusion of wide tail lamps, etc.

According to the supplied paperwork, this car was manufactured in 1982, and it was registered for the first time in Ireland in 2004. It’s a right-hand-drive example and has 160,000+ miles on the odometer. The registration document also mentions that the date of sale is September 9, 2019, and that it had 6 previous owners in Ireland.

It’s nearly impossible to talk about hot hatchbacks and not mention the Mk1 Golf GTI. The car has been instrumental in turning the genre successful, and everyone needs to drive these to understand why hot hatchbacks are great, and also to appreciate unadulterated driving — something that’s not too common in modern cars, even modern performance hatchbacks.

Getting a stock Mk1 Golf GTI is going to be a fair bit of money, especially given the status the car enjoys. This 1982 example, at an estimated €14,000 - €18,000, promises to be a lot of fun but adds a touch of individuality to it. The bright paint or the sports seats might not be to everyone’s liking, but these bits make this car unique. The fact that it’s been restored and the engine, other mechanicals have been taken care of by the previous owner means one can enjoy the Mk1 GTI without having to worry about finding parts and restoring it.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located with the vendor in Dublin, Ireland. To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.