Car Gazing
Special edition celebrates original hot hatch
By Derek Price
Pop quiz: Which car company made the first "pocket rocket" – you know, an affordable, small hatchback with ample horsepower and a souped-up suspension?
A. Honda.
B. Toyota.
C. Nissan.
D. Mitsubishi.
The answer is E., none of the above. It was Volkswagen that came up with the original hot hatch back in 1983 when it made the GTI, a high-performance version of the Rabbit that developed a cult following for its razor-sharp handling and robust engine. It would be several years before Japanese copycats would popularize pocket rockets for their combination of practicality and performance.
Today, it's not uncommon to see tricked-out little Hondas and Toyotas at the drag strip, but Volkswagen wants the world to know its GTI was the first fast, fun, and frugal compact car. To celebrate, VW created a special GTI 20th anniversary edition to please a lucky 4,000 enthusiasts.
It really takes an enthusiast to appreciate what makes this edition special. Just like the original, most of today's GTIs are black with red trim, and some well-placed badges give it a taste of nostalgia, including a red "GTI" on the front grille and a polished metal Rabbit logo on the rear.
Despite the badge, this car is not based on VW's discontinued Rabbit. Instead. it's a dressed-up version of the Golf, which means it has great handling, fabulous interior materials, and a cramped back seat.
Compared to a stock Golf, the GTI has a lower suspension, bigger wheels and brakes, body-color bumpers, and a wider, polished exhaust. It also has Recaro Sport bucket seats in front that provide lots of side support for hard cornering, and a numbered plaque on the dash replaces the Golf's normal cupholder. (Don't worry – it has additional cupholders between the two front seats).
Driving the GTI is pure joy. At its heart is a 1.8-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that makes 180 horsepower, more than enough to spin the front tires. While it's not the quietest or smoothest engine around, it does provide neck-snapping acceleration and good fuel economy – 29 miles per gallon on the highway and 21 in town – with the feel of a V6.
One of the best parts of the driving the GTI is using its slick, fun, six-speed manual transmission. Sure, it requires plenty of shifting, but each shift is a thing of beauty with a buttery feel and precise clutch engagement. Handling and braking are similarly impressive.
On the downside, its back seat definitely feels cramped for adults – especially tall ones – and its racy suspension is clearly not designed for highway comfort. Potholes and bumps will rattle your teeth, and the shocks constantly transmit loud road noise into the cabin.
Then again, who would buy a GTI for comfort? That's not what it's built for.
While it's far from a luxury car, this special edition GTI does exactly what its predecessor started doing 20 years ago: having fun. It has wonderful cornering capability, glorious acceleration, and a head-turning style that's sure to bring smiles to the 4,000 people lucky enough to get one.
Here's to another 20 years, VW.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.
Contact him at dprice@cargazingonline.com)
The above article is provided for the interest and entertainment of our visitors. The views expressed in this article are only those of the author, who is solely responsible for the content. AutoGuide.net does not endorse any of these views, and is not to be held responsible for any of the content provided in the above article.
Click here to read Derek's past articles!
If you have any questions or comments for Derek or the AutoGuide.net, please fill out this form.
|
