1990 Golf GTi 8V – Classified of the Week

Of all the hot hatches that have ever been, one might argue that the Golf GTi is the one that has stayed fun, fast and exciting. Of course, this might be because the 1976 (in Europe) original was such a sensation and a then all-new benchmark for performance and most importantly, fun. It was, then, a big act to follow but Volkswagen did it when it introduced the Mk2 Golf GTi. It was bigger, it was heavier, but it was also faster and more powerful. And in the true spirit of hot hatches, it was also still fun. And that’s why this week, our classified of choice is this stunning 1990 Golf GTi. 

Incredibly rare and resplendent in Bright Blue Metallic, this 1990 Golf GTi is a proper head turner. It’s clearly been loved over the last thirty-three years, as it stands today in excellent condition. It has loads and loads of service history, two keys, the bodywork is near flawless and the interior is mint. If you want a Mk2 GTi, one like this has to be high on the list. For the colour if nothing else – just look at it. The only better colour on a Mk2 is Oak Green, surely?

This 1990 Golf GTi looks as it should, but drives that little bit better. It sits on fresh coilover suspension, there is a new battery, the gearbox has been recently rebuilt, the brakes are new as is the fluid, and the clutch has been replaced, too. The brake lines are new, the the cambelt has been changed on the 8-valve engine, even the lights have new relays. Someone has gladly invested a lot of time and money in this 1990 Golf GTi, and it shows.

For a great many of us (by which, we mean those with an age that starts with a 4) cars like this were, in their prime, somewhat unattainable. The insurance alone precluded us from having them, so instead we’d buy a Driver, or put a scrap yard-sourced GTi body kit on a 1.3. We just wanted a slice of the oh so delicious hot hatch pie. Now though, these cars are classics, we’re a bit older and insurance is a bit more on our side. So now we can live that dream. We might be a bit older on paper, but we’re all young at heart, right?

This 1990 Volkswagen Golf GTi is a way for you to recapture that youth. Bar the coilover suspension (which is an improvement, really) and the DTM twin upswept exhaust, this car is pure and original. It’s not been modified into oblivion, it’s not been abused, it’s not been run on a shoestring. Instead it has survived and earned its place as a bona fide classic, but one that is no less fun that it was the day it rolled out of the showroom. And come on, just look at it. How could not want that in your garage?