The original gave its name to a whole segment, but for many people it was the second generation that really cemented the legend of the Golf GTI.
Combining the everyday usability with a proper enthusiastic character on the road, the MK2 GTI was an irresistible car at the time, paving the way for the numerous hot hatches that followed.
It took Andrew Tucker three years of searching to find an original, unmodified Golf GTI, after the first one he owned fell victim to fire. His connection with the GTI goes a long way back, when his father used to drive him in his GTI.
“It harkens back to my childhood, but it’s also a very usable car,” Tucker told Petrolicious. “It’s not perfect, but it’s perfectly usable, and I think that’s what I love about these cars most of all.”
His determination to keep his 16-valve GTI as original as possible shows the amount of respect he has for this special hatchback. “The car is completely original minus the suspension rebuild: original interior, original 15-inch BBS RA alloys, still running the original clutch, engine, and gearbox,” Tucker adds. “Part of the beauty of this car is that it’s been preserved, not modified”.
