VW GOLF GTI Mk1

The ultimate hot-hatch icon is now a rock-solid and appreciating classic

- MALCOLM MCKAY

Alfasud designer Giorgetto Giugiaro was given carte blanche by Volkswagen to design the Golf, the Italian chosen because he'd studied manufacturing methods. The car entered production with minimal changes in 1974, just tweaked to meet US legislation. The purity of shape shone through and the 1980 facelift even reinstated his larger rear lights, which VW had made smaller to reduce costs.

Stiff and light, the Golf’s ‘Origami school’ bodyshell was ideal for purpose and gave excellent fuel economy, too - aided by a new 1100cc overhead-cam engine leaning forwards with a four-speed, all-synchromesh gearbox. The 1500 unit leaned back; it had already been used in the Audi 80 and Passat and could be specified with an automatic transmission.