VW Golf GTI - comfortable sprinter 36 years ago
05/12/2011
In 1975, the Volkswagen marketing people called the new VW Golf GTI a "comfortable sprinter". The success of the vehicle exceeded all expectations. The suffix "GTI" became the designation for an entire class of cars, as the Golf GTI naturally produced many imitators.
What is interesting about this early picture of the Golf GTI from 1975 is the relatively clumsy GTI badge, which was much more delicate in later versions (see second picture from 1980). Otherwise, however, little changed in the early years. The GTI simply copied the modifications that the facelift brought to its siblings. Only the color palette grew substantially, as VW originally only wanted to deliver the GTI in red, white and silver. Shades of brown and green were only added in the later years of production.
The GTI badge soon adorned other Golfs using the do-it-yourself method, as did the golf ball on the gearshift.
Incidentally, the Golf GTI is a bit like the Beetle. Almost everyone can remember episodes in which a Golf GTI played a role, and many have even driven one themselves at some point ...
Today, the first Golf GTIs - subsequently named Mk I - are already 36 years old and have long since reached classic car age, but it is still quite difficult to find an affordable original vehicle.
