Nice one. I always thought the Oak Green big bumper was the nicest Mk2.
C.
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I get what you mean with the W8! I became very friendly with my local petrol station staff during 18months of V8 M3 ownership. I once got 9mpg on a blat around north Wales.
I agree. A friend had a lovely one until it was totalled in a pile up on the M6.
I did try a Mk3 on holiday. It was a lot more grown up in feel so I thought a bit more power was in order. The loan of a friend’s Corrado VR6 (which I really liked), led me to make a fateful error in buying an ex demo Golf VR6. I hated that car. It creaked and groaned everywhere, the leather seats were killingly uncomfortable and also very slippery, and it wasn’t even that fast. After 6 months I sold it for the same money I paid for it - VR6s were all the rage at the time, especially with a top spec like the one I had - and bought a Saab Turbo 16S Aero, which I loved.
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One of our directors had a Saab Turbo 16S Aero a very hot car indeed well his was the drivers heated seat caught fire and toasted his rear end !!! but apart from that it was a superb motor car.
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Many a freezing morning I would send a silent prayer of thanks to the engineers in Trollhattan for making such fantastic heated seats. For my 6’ 3" frame they were the most comfortable seats I’ve ever used and long distance drives across the continent or up to the highlands of Scotland were a joy. I sold it with 250,000 miles on the clock and it still felt like it would easily do another 250,000 without complaint. A weirdly wonderful car.*
*apologies for the thread drift. Back to Golf GTIs…
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Fraim, surely.
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The GTi’s I’ve owned. A bit of a ramble - my apologies!
MK1 Campaign - Bought with 69K on the clock, full VAG History, 2nd owner. Nimble, sharp and lithe! A revelation compared to the underpowered wheezy Ford Orion (first car) it replaced. As were the brakes at the first corner! Not long in my ownership as it was rear ended by the producer of a very famous (US) band who jumped a red light on the London North Circular, smashing my car into the Mercedes in front - written off as a result. Not a photo of my actual car (could not find the old 6x4 prints I once had) but it was just like the one below, absolutely minty…
MK2 8V - Bought with a high-ish mileage of 90K, full VAG History, 2nd owner. Best all rounder for me. Just the right balance of refinement, engineering solidity and urgent adrenaline rush when required. Due to the high miles, a friend from VW specialist C&R Enterprises rebuilt the suspension from scratch, and sourced a set of original G60 Rallye alloy wheels from Germany (later fitted to the Coarrado 16V). The 8V chosen over the 16V as I just preferred its characteristics. Only sold due to not having power steering (partner found it too heavy to park). After putting a 100K on the clock it was sold for a small profit. I believe the new owner radically modified it by shoe-horning a MK3 VR6 engine into the cramped engine bay which significantly compromised the handling balance. Well, according to the VW specialist / motoring journalist (he became a good friend) who maintained the car. The only snap I could find of my unwashed MK2 from the 90s in mid Winter…
MK3 8V - Bought with 50K miles, full VAG History, 2nd owner. Very much maligned! But… despite its many shortcomings I liked this car, especially once the (prematurely) worn suspension had been fully reworked (shocks, springs, bushes, and anti-roll bars by C&R once again). Handling wise it then felt like a proper GTi, albeit slower due to the middle age spread. Also much more refined than the MK2. Flaws were many, including dreaded electrical gremlins which never cured. I used go out to the car in the morning and the electric windows would have come down of their own accord, sometimes one, sometimes all. Then there was… THE RUST! As standard, this car came supplied with its own dust pan & brush to sweep up bodywork that fell off overnight! Eventually it failed an MOT due to rusted sills, and was uneconomical to repair as every panel had severe tin worm. Sold to a body shop owner (pre-sale condition fully disclosed) who repaired the worst, fitted a roll cage, tuned the engine and then used it as a track car. As an aside, the MK3 VR6 engine was strongly disliked by the two VW specialists I got to know - uneconomical, unreliable and a pig to work on according to them. But they both really rated the MK3 2.0L 16V Golf GTi, as that engine had 150bhp as standard, and gave around 175hp with considered tuning. Not far off VR6 power, lighter and with decent economy. I drove their modded Corrado 16V test car (same 2.0 engine) and it flew.
MK6 - Current car. Bought with 35K miles, full VAG History, 2nd owner. A three door model with just a few welcome extras over standard spec, including a factory sunroof, front & rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, plus the obligatory tartan seats! I can’t envisage changing it, certainly not in the near future, unless it gets taxed into obsolescence or I have to sell for financial reasons. Realistically, the best GTi I’ve owned to date - lovely interior, fast, refined, handles beautifully and feels safe and secure for light family duties - although we do have a 2016 Ford S-MAX (excellent) which takes the lions share of that role. Also, the first GTi that I’ve owned where I didn’t feel the need to address any OEM shortcomings. Tis a lovely thing to drive.
Not sure what the future holds in terms of GTi ownership. I quite like the MK7 but not seriously enough to investigate a test drive (yet), although the limited edition Club Sport looks tempting. The newly revealed MK8 GTi did raise a ‘Roger Moore eyebrow’ of interest, esp the design of the radical interior (for VW). As I never buy new I’ll just have to wait a few years to look at one seriously.
I have tried other brands (much like looking outside of the Naim fold, but always return) and have test driven BMW M cars, which left me a bit cold despite their obvious abilities. Sporty Renaults & Peugeots etc were fun but never got under my skin. Ford Focus RS, very very good, but just too shouty. I really enjoyed a test drive in an older 911 (ten years plus in age, and can’t remember the variant - 996 I think) where I almost signed on the dotted line, but the more research I did the prospect of the running costs just gave me the heebie-jeebies. But, when I borrowed a friends Civic Type-R for a couple of weeks I almost came close to switching - loved that thing! But the initial joy of the high revving engine eventually became a bit annoying everyday. The gear change was exceptional though, as was the handling. So it was back to the great all rounder that is the Golf GTi.
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Another past and and current GTi owner here - 8v E plate in red, such fun. Had a GTD back in 2007 and now with GTI Performance- still just as much fun.
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I’ve had this for 6 weeks. Its a Performance 245 and far exceeds my expectations. Its a very well engineered high quality product.
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Not quite! My first car was a 1.6GLS, far better than the 1100 Fiestas and Escorts bought by the “cooler” kids 
I do have this as the toy now though 
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For me the most impressive thing about the 245 is the sheer grunt - pulls like a train from low revs. The fancy diff makes it very easy to get all that torque down with no drama too. I’m also amazed at how it can return 40mpg just by just sticking to the speed limits. Even at that speed it’s still fun to drive as there’s no need to slow down for all but the tightest corners 
Edit; Almost forgot the equally impressive stopping power. Add that to the roadholding and ‘feel’ for what’s happening and it all makes for a very safe and enjoyable drive.
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Isaac Blue ?
Yep, it’s very deceptive, my first turbo engine for a while
Sweet, Sunbeam Lotus. I bet that is great to drive.
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I’ve always liked the Golf, especially in GTi form - it’s always just looked a classy machine. Even the R looks very discrete with only the little R badge and 4 oval tailpipes giving the game away. I nearly went back to a Golf late last year (the R version) but took the BMW route (again) instead…
I did have a GTi back in 2002. It was the 25th Anniversary edition. VW brought out the Anniversary in both 180BHP 1.8T form and 150BHP 1.9TDI form. Votex bodykit, 18" BBS RC rims and a few other nice bits in 3 colours, red, black or silver. As i was doing quite a few miles at the time, i went for the TDI version. To make sure i had good music, i dynamatted the doors, fitted Focal speakers up front, a JL sub in the rear all powered by a DLS 4 channel amplifier. To match the blue dash illumination i fitted a Becker Mexico Pro CD head unit. A switchable remap from Revo added a bit more poke (resulting in 190 BHP and 270 Lbft - none too shabby at the time). Couldn’t find many pictures but here’s one from a rolling road session organised through the GTI-Anniversary website i used to run.
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Indium Grey
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Looks very similar to mine (Isaac Grey)
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Ramblings…
My dream car for a while, never did get round to owning one and now they’re silly money like RS Escorts. Saw a car prog on one of the harder to find channels recently where a Lotus Sunbeam had been abandoned and left to rust away to almost nothing, but sold at auction for about £13k with a decent replacement shell included. It was still a project though. What a waste… 30+ years ago I used to cycle to work past a Mk2 Lotus Cortina and watched as it was gradually lost to rust, wheels up in the wheel arches and panels literally falling off it. Then it disappeared, hopefully to a good home.
Golf GTi then eh? Never have, never fancied one enough to make the leap. Did have a 1.9 205GTi for a while mid 90s, it was a hoot and absolute rocketship but it reached an age where it needed some care & attention and I’d had my fun out of it so it was moved on. The closest I’ve been to a dream car since was a Series II Land Rover then a 1985 Defender about 15 years ago - now due to mileage [present situation notwithstanding] it’s civilisation, comfort & audio that take priority.
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Just been to see the golf 8 here in Germany, I have to say…
mmmmmmm dont like the interior much
Loving the older pics though
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