Volkswagen Golf GTI Convertible

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Crisp, classless and chic, the Golf was not only an object lesson in industrial design, it also freed Volkswagen from the shackles of the obsolete Beetle and went on to propel them straight to the top of the class in the aspirational new world of the Eighties.

Pick of the crop was the Golf GTi, the archetypal ‘hot hatch’ which came out in 1976. Quick, nimble and beautifully made, it had a peppy 1.8-litre engine whose 112bhp could whisk it up to 60 in 8.3 seconds and keep it flying along at three figure speeds for hours on end without anything breaking or falling off.

In 1979 a convertible version was launched, developed and produced by Karmann, who specialised in low volume production. As it was built outside of the regular production system, the Golf Cabriolet never received the more rounded styling given to the Golf Mk2. It retained the sharper profile of the Mk1 all the way through its production life, selling alongside its updated sibling.

This smart 1992 example spent its formative years in Malta, enjoying the dry climate until December 2012 when it arrived in the UK. It had two owners whilst living abroad and has had two more upon arrival to these shores. There are two old MOTs on file, the current ticket expiring in May 2015. The odometer reads 87,500 miles and the car is described by the vendor as running and driving well. 

CATALOGUE AMENDMENT: Please note that this car has covered 87,000 kms (55,000 miles) and not 87,000 miles as catalogued. Also there is one old MOT on file and not two as stated above.