With the original Golf GTI, Volkswagen set an unexpected precedent. 

The car was never officially planned – the Golf being conceived as the replacement for the pensionable rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive Beetle. Water-cooled and frugal, it was originally planned as inexpensive and functional family transport and no more than that.

But a group of VW engineers was working quietly in the background on their own ‘skunk project’, spurred on by the success of the semi-sporty Scirocco coupé. The GTI was an experiment in fuel-injection as well as a performance-enhanced recipe based on the Golf formula. A German Mini Cooper, if you like. 

It was also the first real hot hatch, or certainly the first car marketed as such after VW bosses realised its potential and allowed it into production, debuting at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Mk1 GTI defined the template for the modern hot hatch. It combined performance and handling to rival some sports cars with a level of usability and quality that meant it could double up as a family car and was both deeply desirable and highly aspirational, its performance and handling matched by its engineering quality.

The production car used a 108bhp 1.6-litre engine with mechanical fuel injection, a four-speed manual gearbox controlled by that now-iconic golf ball gear knob, and a lowered, tweaked chassis that gave the GTI the grip, handling, agility and involvement it became famous for.

But for some owners that wasn’t enough and as well as setting the precedent for the hot hatch as we know it, the Golf GTI was also one of the most popular cars in the modifying scene of the 1980s and 1990s.

That modifying scene is a core part of this car’s history. First registered in January 1983, it would originally have been a Golf GTI 1.8, as the later MK 1s had a larger engine than the first 1.6s. This one, though, is a 2.0. It’s got the eight-valve 1984cc engine found in multiple VW models from the 1970s onward, but fitted with an aftermarket turbocharger by a previous owner. 

The car has been dyno-tested and has consistently produced figures of over 140bhp at the flywheel, so it’s lively without being overly powerful. The vendor bought it last year as a plaything, but is now looking for something else to add to his collection. 

The Golf comes with a large folder full of bills and receipts going back to when the engine was installed in 2002. These show extensive maintenance along with evidence of desirable modifications being added, such as a Jamex performance exhaust and braided brake hoses that should last the life of the car.

At first glance, the GTI looks pretty much standard in its classic silver colour scheme, but look more closely and you’ll see a few differences. 

The most obvious are the 15-inch wide profile ATS alloy wheels, while it also has darker rear light lenses and sits lower than a standard GTI on coil-over suspension. 

It’s in good rather than perfect condition. It’s smart and tidy, with a few stone chips and small rust bubbles on the leading edge of the bonnet and a few small scuffs and marks. Both sills have also seen welded repairs in the past, though the work has been carried out to a good standard on each side.

Inside, the cabin present in a very similar way to the bodywork. It’s clean and very presentable, and generally in good order. 

The front seats are fabric with vinyl bolsters, while the rear is black leather suggesting that at some point the car has had an aftermarket leather interior and the front seats have since been retained by a previous owner. 

There is some minor scuffing to the seats and carpets, but there is no damage nor any excessive bolster or seat base wear. 

The dash and carpets are good, but the rear parcel shelf is missing a couple of clips. A modern stereo has been installed, along with ad aftermarket boost gauge for the turbo.

The 2.0 turbocharged engine is reported to be in good running order and we were able to start it and move it around freely. It idles smoothly and makes a pretty vocal induction noise when you press the pedal. 

It’s a much newer engine than the car it’s fitted to, as evidenced by the coil-on-plug coil packs, while a conical Ram-Air filter adds further to its performance appeal. It has uprated dampers, bigger brakes and lowering springs, along with a full-flow wide bore exhaust system and silicone hoses. 

The vendor reports that it is a very entertaining car to drive, and is pretty quick!

Back in the late 1990s when it was converted, this would have been worth quite a lot more than a standard Golf GTI. Times have changed, though, and today collectors go potty for a pure original. 

This one is a great candidate for putting back to standard if that’s what you desire, as all of the mods are bolt-on or bolt-in. Or, as is, it’s a bit of a weapon and an icon of the classic modifying scene. It’s perfect for either purpose and is a terrific piece of kit that’s guaranteed to put a grin on your face.