1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI: The Rare Spec

While there’s always excitement surrounding the discovery of a GTO or Challenger, some of us get equally excited about the unveiling of an ’80s hot-hatch with an abundance of period-correct tuner goodies. This 1983 VW Golf GTI (eBay calls it an ’80, but the seller labels it correctly in the listing), also known as a MK1, is located in Greece, but can be found here on eBay. It might be a bit out of our typical price range, but it is just too interesting to overlook! Now, for those of you who don’t follow the import circuit, this car is stacked with period modifications from German tuning company Oettinger, which includes lots of cosmetic add-ons and a few engine tweaks, including upgraded camshafts and an engine oil cooler. The Zender body kit is equally desirable as are the Zender Turbo alloy wheels; all in all, this MK1 GTI is a mobile parts catalog for the 1980’s German tuning scene. When done correctly, that’s not a bad thing. I doubt this car will end up stateside, but considering how hard it would be to re-create, you never know.