Bear in mind when Volkswagen of America ran its “Unpimp ze Auto” collection of tv commercials (Peter Stormare ftw! -Hurd), exhibiting livid and presumably quick tuner automobiles (a Mitsubishi Eclipse, Honda Civic and Ford Focus) being destroyed by a Swede representing the engineers of Deutschland? Let’s all watch them once more, as a result of they by no means get previous even after 18 years.
The automotive being marketed as being far superior to any backyard-built front-wheel-drive sizzling rod of the mid-2000s was the 2006 Volkswagen GTI, and that is precisely what we have got for at the moment’s Junkyard Gem.
Volkswagen has utilized the GTI label to many heated-up fashions because the Golf GTI and its Scirocco GTI cousin first hit German streets in 1976, together with the Gol and Polo, however solely the Golf model has ever been supplied in the USA. Again when the Golf was generally known as the Rabbit right here, the primary GTIs hit American showrooms as 1983 fashions.
Regardless of having simply 90 horses below the hood, the Mk1 Rabbit GTI was nice enjoyable and rapidly established a cult following right here. Bear in mind, even the legendary (and considerably heavier) AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S had a mere 112 horsepower in U.S.-market trim, so energy numbers from that period may be deceiving once we have a look at them by Twenty first-century eyes.
Volkswagen ditched the Rabbit identify when the Mk2 Golf confirmed up in the USA as a 1985 mannequin. As a result of there have been no GTI variations of different VWs bought right here, the GTI could possibly be bought with out Golf badging by VWoA. Due to the devoted fanatic following for GTIs of any era, these automobiles aren’t straightforward to seek out in automotive graveyards; previous to at the moment’s automotive, I would documented only a handful of examples of the Mk2 GTI and Mk4 GTI in such locations.
Simply to confuse all people, each Mk4 and Mk5 GTIs have been bought as 2006 fashions. This one is a real Mk5, also referred to as the 2006 New GTI.
This automotive is a lot heavier than its 1983 ancestor (3,308 kilos versus 1,918 kilos), but it surely has a greater power-to-weight ratio due to this turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC engine with direct injection. That is 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet, with every horse pulling 16.54 kilos (the ’83 Rabbit GTI positioned 21.31 kilos on every horse). Sure, automobiles simply maintain getting heavier. Need to know the way a lot the 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo weighed with the non-obligatory V8 engine? 3,236 kilos.
By the center 2000s, Individuals had already spent a superb 40 years falling out of affection with handbook transmissions, however the unique purchaser of this automotive selected the six-on-the-floor. We at the moment are dwelling within the remaining mannequin yr of three-pedal GTIs right here, in line with Volkswagen.
This automotive seems to be in very good situation for its age, with a fairly respectable inside and largely straight and stable sheet metallic.
There is a little bit of decay across the rear glass, nothing severe. We will assume that some pricey mechanical drawback despatched it to a yard simply south of the Denver metropolis limits.
This seems to be a sticker for Iron Lung Information of Seattle.
No place to go… besides the scrapper, as soon as it is executed right here!
Make pals along with your quick.
The “make pals along with your quick” marketing campaign wasn’t as a lot enjoyable because the “Unpimp ze Auto” one, for my part. You bought a bit of GTI Quick Demon toy if you purchased the automotive, although.