This 1983 Volkswagen GTI MK1 is quite possibly the most enjoyable 90hp car. Here's why.

Interestingly, the idea to develop a higher performance variant of the Golf was not very high on the agenda back in the mid-‘70s. Instead, the concept was largely driven by six people at Volkswagen in Germany. Originally named the “Sport Golf”, the idea was presented to the management board in March 1975, after which it officially became the development order EA195. The world premiere occurred only a few months later, in September at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. It went on sale the next year and in Germany it retailed for DM13 850.
Follow Jeremy the owner of this amazing car here:
/ jeremymyers43
#sirdrifto #volkswagen #gti

[@scarsons10]

When I was 19 I owned this exact car in 1985, bought at a dealer with 5k miles on it. Still one of the best cars I owned. A blast to drive.

[@SirDrifto]

They really are a blast

[@jenkemjones68]

I had an 84 jetta gti in 1987.Same car basically.The early-mid 80's gti was a blast for their era.The engine sound was phenomenal.

[@ajgurney5811]

I have a 82 rabbit with a 1.6 TD swapped and a 5speed and it's a riot to drive. But also I have to say out of every vehicle I've owned my favorite was a 93 geo metro 2 door with the 3 banger and 5 speed even had working AC. It wasn't fast but handled surprisingly well, I did get one people ticket and several warnings from cops because they were laughing so hard that a metro was breaking the speed limit😂

[@9008332]

In 1989 I bought an 84 GTI in this exact color combo. LOVED that car. The best part was cornering hard, the front end tracked perfectly and the inside rear tire would lift off the ground allowing the rear end to rotate beautifully.

[@SirDrifto]

Thanks for sharing!

[@germanium1872]

The owner of this vehicle hit the jackpot

[@SirDrifto]

Agreed 👍

[@oldschoolchartist]

I had a 1983 GTI in silver. Fun to drive. Not fast, but plenty quick and nimble. 40 years later... Audi RS5 so I am like a kid again.

[@sinistarmr2]

I used to covet the MKI GTI back in the day, but had to settle with a standard Rabbit, which, while it helped me to learn stick shift, it also helped me to learn: how to push start a stalled vehicle (lots of practice), how push a car out of traffic by myself (good exercise?), and that one should never allow a hungover friend to puke in the car, as the smell will come back to haunt you on any hot and humid day. Or just about any day. That said, I appreciate this laid back and informative video of this VW classic presented with no YT clickbait. 👍

[@houseoffolly]

I'll bet it was a bad fuel relay, a common problem. I am bypassing the intermittent one on my VW mk1 and installing an inertia switch in the wiring (and fuse )for safety.

[@tylermahan687]

This brought back some great memories. I bought a new GTI in '84 and immediately swapped the 14" wheels for 15" BBS lace wheels and 50 series yokohama tires. It was a blast, super tight and light weight. It was quicker in the corners than my buddy's '83 Vette. I sold it when I bought the new '87 16V Scirocco and missed it because it was so much fun to drive and lighter than the 16V.

[@klee2081]

@tylermahan687 What a coincidence my friend ! I bought my first car in 1989. It was a 83 GTI black with blue interior. In 1991 , I traded it with a 1987 GTI 16v in burgundy. To my surprise , my 83 GTI was more responsive and faster than my 87 16v in the first 3 gear . My mechanic told me that was due to the close gear ratio of the 83 GTI. I miss my 83 GTI so much. 😢

[@phillm156]

I had a hand me down MK1 in 1992. 80k miles. Drove it for 5 yrs, 70k miles, no issues. 1900lbs makes 90hp plenty fun with 32mpg to boot.

[@tomboston9669]

Thanks for this video ! You did a great job of documenting what these things felt like to drive. The driving near the end of the vid really brought back some great memories. I had an 83 GTI years ago and got a great couple of years out of it. And then one day I woke to find the door handle on the ground in my driveway. That was all the thieves left behind. I'm still not over it. Been searching for years for a car that will scratch that itch, but haven't come close.

[@SirDrifto]

@@tomboston9669 thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@duanephillips2343]

I bought my 84 new via the Army PX and how did shipped to Germany where I drove it for a year before taking it back home again. Mine was black with a blue interior. I drove it all over Germany including on the Autobahn. It was not able to hit the high speeds of German made GTIs but it had lower gears. So it was great off of stoplights. I loved going around cloverleafs - ir was amazing and I remember I could pin my front seat passenger to the door doing that LOL. I had a friend in the German Army and he loved it. I sold it in 88 and wish I still had it.

[@group9622]

best car I ever owned , Had an '84 Black / Red paid $8,500 still have the window sticker and wonderful memories and now you see one and start playing what if ..... and the hunt is on to recapture that feeling and go torture off ramps...

[@Warped9]

The GTi and Scirocco of that era were much more enjoyable to drive than maybe all modern cars. There was no electronic enhanced suspension or enhanced steering with synthetic feedback or fake exhaust notes. It was all direct mechanical experience. You could really feel what the car was doing. When it was setup right it was pure bliss. There is also the truth that it’s more entertaining to drive a moderately powered car fast than to drive a high powered car slow.

[@sreginkc]

I traded my '79 fuel injected C two-door rabbit for the '83 white on blue GTI. When I saw it at the dealership, I was absolutely blown away. Gorgeous14 inch wheels with Pirelli tires and a five speed gearbox with a golf ball shifter! And the interior was stunning! This car burst the malaise bubble of the day! The American sports cars had really been diminished to ridiculously gaudy paint jobs on heavy, under-powered images of past muscle car memories. Cars like the Mazda RX7 didn't have any power until you got above 3000 rpm. The GTI when new had very noticeable torque right off of idle. This car was truly an enthusiast car. I had to have mine decked out with all of the options, including Bosch fog lights, air conditioning and a sunroof. Sadly, they were born in the day of the nation-wide 55 mph speed limit. That was where they really shined. Once that was over, the car became too noisy and impractical for every day highway driving. It was made for the trips that you drove in this video. Thanks for the video. It sure brought back the fun memories.

[@duuhmojo9552]

I owned the exact same car, bought it used when I was 16, car was 11 years old by then, paid 3,700 CDN bucks for it and was mint! Drove the crap out of that car and loved it! I wish I still owned to today :(

[@bribri2694]

I bought a brand new 1984 Jetta GLI and had so much fun driving that car. I wish I still had it. They are very rare. As I recall, only around 5,000 for each of those two years were available in the US.

[@byronn.2885]

Still have an 83 Rabbit. I swapped a 86 GTI motor that was mildly built into it and it was a huge improvement. I need to get it back together as I tore it down for a restoration 18 years ago. Lol

[@SirDrifto]

Yes definitely restore it!

[@rogerwilliams2042]

I acquired a 1983 GTI 140,000 miles on it in 2020 .Nice driver condition had a vacuum leak the made it not run well but once sorted out was a dream come through.By the way got Moveable vents ,Sun Roof and AC-yes they all work. Had some work done to the trans as it was stuck in reverse .cat back exhaust system,shifter bushings.lowering springs and just had it painted and in the process of assembling back .Headliner remaining now but I’m on vacation and can’t wait to get back to complete .I know exactly how you feel when driving lol

[@bradpriebe9218]

I had one in highschool, silver with navy interior that I briefly used for delivering pizza; it had 205/50-15 with Pirelli P7s; an Alpine deck, Blaupunkt booster/EQ, 6" 3-way Pioneers in the doors and 6x9 Pioneers in the parcel shelf. Over 45 years and MANY cars later, that's one i regret getting rid of (I traded it on a loaded 84 Cougar XR7 turbo coupe which I also wish I still had)

[@mcutube2011]

I bought a 1984 GTI (used, 39,000 miles) in the summer of 1988. I was 21 and to this day my favorite car. Sold it in 1995 with about 120,000 miles. I miss that car.

[@odysseyuk5532]

Hi ! My story is so similar, I bought a 1983 GTI in 1988 and we are so lucky to experience the feeling that this car gave us. Truly one of the best vehicles I have owned.

[@f1david]

The 1st new car I brought in 1983. White exterior with blue interior. So much fun. I could get scratch in second gear from a red light.

[@jasonlucero352]

My uncle gave me his 83 GTi years ago. Absolutely loved that car. I sold it for $300 after many years of ownership. I would have kept it, but the entire floor was rotted out. Had to use a 2x4 on the jack pad to distribute the lifting area. Otherwise, the jack would just bend through the frame. It was a sad day seeing it drive away.

[@luggnutz]

I had the '84 version of this, I can only remember 1 difference, there was a valence between the front bumper and the grill. Mine had the blue interior. I had a few mods from Neuspeed, a strut tower bar, Bilstein shocks and Neuspeed springs, a shift lever extension, a Gurling caliper upgrade to slightly larger calipers and discs up front, a Borla exhaust, and a beautiful Momo wheel in the driver's chair. I should've kept it, it was fun to drive, quick turn in, it did push when pushed hard, but it was a joy.

[@SirDrifto]

What year did you own yours?

[@luggnutz]

@@SirDrifto 1984, black with the blue interior.

[@luggnutz]

@@SirDrifto I think it was from '86 to '99.

[@vincebuono2135]

They called it the pocket rocket!! I should know had one and seeing you drive one brings me joy and happiness when i had one!! Miss my GTI!👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@sd1593]

It’s an insult to call it a go cart! Once you get a feel for the Machine, you understand what it can do! 🔥🔥❤️

[@828findadventure]

Besides the good looks of the car, mine was black with the blue interior, but the close ratio transmition was amazing and made that 90 hp motor a blast to drive.

[@SirDrifto]

They really are

[@klee2081]

Back in 1989 I had a black with blue 1983 GTI. It was so responsive in its second and third gear. I love the stiffness of the steering and the clutch. It was so fun to drive. 😊

[@joshperryppg]

I had a mk2 gti for my very first car, and a mk1 gti for my second car. I loved them so much and regret not getting another one. I still have my 2.0 aba block for the 2.0 20v turbo I was going to build for the rabbit. A montanna green mk2 is still my dream car, I'll find one for sale one of these days. Awesome video man, it brought back many memories!

[@SirDrifto]

That sounds like a nicely setup car of yours

[@petethevolcano]

Last comment from me. My dad was the original owner and when I finally sold my gti (that gti - the red on black) it had over 300k miles and it was still hammering like a beast with no signs of quitting in any way. Same engine. Same tranny. All dub.

[@petethevolcano]

(and I rallied her hard)

[@timmusick9875]

Terrific video and spot on. My '84 GTI will always be one of the unique, special cars I've ever owned. It exceeded expectations inall parameters! Comfort, performance, practicallity, economy.

[@gsilves9423]

I bought one of these brand new off the showroom floor in 1983 for $7k. I was 23, it was my first new car and and I will always remember it. One just sold on Bring a Trailer for $30k. A souped up Rabbit for $30K?!

[@craigmonteforte1478]

i had a 1975 Rabbit ,81 , and i always wanted the 83 GTI ! FYI. your roof rack. fits. the drip rails on a Beetle as well i put one from a 72 Beetle onto my WaterCooled Volkswagens

[@spinnetti]

Always wanted one, couldn't afford one new, and now a nice one is too expensive too lol... I did have a 79' rabbit and a 78' Scirocco back in the day though (both worn out rust buckets when I got them)

[@oldschoolchartist]

If you buy one... check the front CV Joints and boots. Very common for the boots to split and just a tiny bit of dirt will tear them up.

[@jasonpeizer9042]

This car is modified for sure. Those seats for instance are stock but someone cut about two inches out of the rear legs. It appears to be on lowering springs and I'd put money on a cat back exhaust with borla muffler too. Tasty stuff.

[@SirDrifto]

It was a blast to drive

[@JM4300]

Good eye. it is on coil overs and has a cat back. I forgot to mention that to Nathan. I am tall, so I sourced adjustable Scirocco seat frames and married them. It's a great mod, as you can raise the seats back to stock height. I have lots of seat material, but have the ugly drivers seat installed as the material is becoming very difficult to find.

[@javierrodriguez2863]

Beautiful machine, would love to own one! Great video and editing!

[@pacificbuildingcare]

I had a Volkswagen rabbit GTI I bought 1988 it was a 1984 model black. It was a beautiful car I sold it back in 1991 I drove it everywhere in California took it to Mexico once it really never had any major problems other than just an alternator once in awhile but it always handled so well so fun to drive. Almost feel like I want to buy another one again. If I had the garage space any extra money I would probably buy it on top of my list to have a Ferrari testarossa as well I'm old school I like old school 1980 1990 cars

[@ronz91]

Fun fact: in South Africa they sold the Golf Mk1 into the late 2000s Search citi golf

[@ericcurlett811]

Beautiful ride

[@donnasingleton6320]

Great cars. I currently have MK4 GTI. Really want a TDI. I test drove one and was really surprised. My car is an 05 and the seats are super comfortable for an "economy" car.

[@rodneynoriel1528]

As far as I know, most all of the older auto journalist owned a Rabbit GTI..

[@SirDrifto]

I’ve heard that before. I now see why

[@antjon1260]

Очень здорово! Прекрасный golf!!! Ваши видео очень искренние) видно, что Вы точно наслаждаетесь автомобилями той эпохи, когда они были произведением искусства!))

[@TheOreamnos55]

All these years later, that purr at 2:42 is oh-so-familiar. Had an '83 (same color combo as here) that I bought in '85, and took to college for my last two years there. Loved, loved, loved it.

[@petethevolcano]

My first car bros. Heart hurt - miss this freaking thing. I remember it just like you see it here. It was a dream. #1995 #highschool #84'Rabbit #Hear-me-coming-bitches. It was everything this guy says it is and he doesn't even have the 12's in the bandpass in the back or the Ansa tip and straight pipe. Pioneer CD deck - yea why not. living the dream. No matter what you drive if you drive this car and those mods you'll be like "cool, ok, I get it - I like it"

[@erikhesjedal3569]

My first car was a Red rabbit 83 GTi. Red, with double headlights (one with a tape cross), 16v antenna and gold BBS.

[@SonOfTamriel]

I had this identical car, tho mine was an 84. Most regret I've had in life was selling that little demon. New owner bought it, painted it some Mitsubishi purple, ripped out all the red interior which was mint and tossed it. Replaced it with a mix of Cabriolet and Jetta interior bits, all black. It was well done but ruined a classic. Now I can't find one affordable and no resto projects around. Some day

[@matthewlee2686]

Cool finally got a VW. I'm A big mk4 TDI diesel guy.

[@SirDrifto]

They're way more fun than I expected! I need to film a diesel VW aswell

[@sdanen4]

Those are hard to find!

[@SirDrifto]

Especially in great condition

[@artSFCA]

I bought a white one back in the day but non-GTI. Drove it off the showroom. The non-GTI didn't have the kick to go up mountains which was disappointing.

[@nuclearpurification7260]

Great car, and made in Pennsylvania!

[@SirDrifto]

They sure are

[@craigmonteforte1478]

a old highschool associate of mine did actually have one inHigh School ! it was SouthFlorida and he had a PopOut Sunroof. in his. he did wind up selling his and unfortunately is Disceased now he also held one of the best times from New York City to Miami out of many of my freinds. one guy he was very competitive with. was a guy that had one of those generation 4 Turbo charged Trans Ams. that was another Iconic 80s car in the White Color i personally want much into those Pontiacs although i did have a 84 Camaro ZF. that was all Show and no Go with a V6 a Interior Package , some special Stripes , Steering. Wheel and some body kit modifications. honestly. the car was my Ex Wife’s when we started dating and it did become our “Family “ Car after children

[@masonpugh3637]

Wow the interior is cheerful and looks comfortable also cheap on fuel too mine daily but modified had to cabrio

[@sd1593]

Surprisingly I was empresses with the heater! Even with the sun roof open it’s was always comfortable

[@patrick39432]

I had a 1984 Rabbit GTI, black with tinted windows. Would play "Black Cars Look Better in the Shade" on the radio as I drove around Denver. Until it was demolished by a garbage truck😥

[@banditsixoclock]

Funny I just watched the vid and loved it. I had the exact same car, graduated in 1983 and git it in 84', I didnt have it in high school, but my summers back in upstate ny I did, and I felt pretty cool! Question is, is it for sale????

[@Mikefngarage]

farfegnugen was the sales motto....for a reason.

[@user-px8lx9dp6h]

Awesome front grill.😮

[@Warped9]

This generation of GTI were not from Germany. The headlights are the giveaway as the European GTIs retained the round headlights. The GTI such as this example were made in the US or Mexico and were “Americanized” for the North American market. That explains the interior and square headlights. They were still a blast to drive.

[@ikuarden8391]

this us GTI looks remarkable - still try EU gti mk1 with 140ps - little beast

[@Anthonyhancock71]

I got same one. Blue interior. You better get gas 😂

[@SirDrifto]

I ran out 🤣. J/k!!

[@mikek8986]

miss my 85 mars red scirocco...

[@clintwill8715]

Horsepower to weight ratio on the GTI has got to be pretty good,being they weigh less than 2000 pounds !!

[@mattalki]

I drove a 1981 Rabbit diesel in college. It handled really well, but it was slooooow. The GTI always seemed like it would take the best of that car and fix all of the drawbacks (with the exception of the fuel mileage). BTW, were you driving around in Colorado? I'm originally from the Estes Park area of CO, and that looked awfully familiar.

[@TheOreamnos55]

Looks like Evergreen area...

[@alexandruduta8102]

te iubeste cu golful 1

[@boxstersjm69u]

Round headlamps is nicer.

[@petethevolcano]

Dude, sir drifto, what a fantastic find you've got there. Even the headliner looks intact. Love it man. Just forwarded it to my high school buddy. We're into it. Cheers man. You're the man. And yes, the exhaust note is fantastic. dude, you should try to track down one of these dual Ansa brand perforated muffler tip. It wasn't a muffler but it had a little something going on more than just tip. Like a little glass pack. It will double your smile all day and worse case scenario you blew what $400 putting it on and taking it off again. From a dude who loves car and was born in one of these you got my word on it. Your wife will hate it, but then it will get her kinda horny despite her intentions for it not too. And I'm not joking on those two 12's in a bandpass box with the plexiglass front facing backwards. yes, it will take the entire trunk up but again. The way the hatch is shaped and the rest of the physics involved you will be hard pressed to find a better all senses driving experience. I think you just sold me on going back. Actually hearing the engine closed that gap. The exhaust note makes me remember why I loved it. I hear you banging through the gear range. Right in that 30mph to 65 mph it's amazing.

[@apocalypsevoyeur]

Sexy sexy colors, inside and out. God, its perfection.

[@valkeriesilk6136]

I have an 84, somehow the car shrunk over the last 40 years though my wife claims I just got fat. Eiether way, I don't fit in the seats and my head hits the sunroof when I'm driving.

[@jeremyjames1972]

Very interesting. Beautiful condition....But..The US regulations totally ruined it! The terrible headlights and side repeaters...not to mention the awful bumpers...oh my! What were they thinking with that interior?? Google 1983 Golf Gti M1 from Germany, The Uk or South Africa to see what it was designed to look like....lol

[@darthdaddy6983]

Trust me it’s better with twice the hp

[@edwardlucero2120]

mine was a 1984 GTI Red paint and dark blue seats. I was at the dealer when the delivery truck brought into dealership.(Walnut Creek, Cal.) I helped take the plastic off of the interior. Absolutely Loved this car! I sold it to buy a Truck and Jet-Ski... LOL it was the 80s

[@SirDrifto]

Thanks for sharing