The MK 1 GTI set the automotive world ablaze when it was launched in the USA in 1983. The car started the “pocket rocket” trend of performance small hatchbacks. The light, agile, and peppy little Rabbit GTIs made excellent daily commuters due to good fuel economy, roomy cabins, and easy maintenance. The GTI also made for a good weekend track toy winning many autocross events for owners across the country due to their incredible handling, and great low-end torque. The cars were built at Volkswagen’s US factory in Westmoreland, PA and were offered in only 4 colors, black, red, white, and silver with either a red or blue velour interior and all had 1.8L gas engines with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Unique features of the GTI included deeply bolstered front seats, center console w/ auxiliary gauges and clock, “golf ball” design shift knob, front air dam, red stripe on grille, and snowflake alloy wheels. Performance was very respectable for its day, top speed was 104 mph, zero-60 mph in 9.7 seconds which was a second faster than a 5.0L V8 powered Trans Am of the day! The GTI has become a 1980s hot hatch legend and is worthy of its classic car status, it remains a very fun analog era car to drive and will ern many smiles and still gathers attention due to their fairly low survival rate, to be able to see one on the roads today is quite a rare occasion.