|
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk.I |
1981 - 1984 |
Country: |
|
 |
Engine: |
|
Flat 4. |
Capacity: |
|
1588 cc |
Power: |
|
110 bhp |
Transmission: |
|
4/5 spd. man |
Top Speed: |
|
111 mph |
Number Built: |
|
n/a |
Collectability: |
|
 |
| |
|
The Golf GTi was more an evolution than a revolution.
Its mechanics were that of the ordinary Golf, however
the power was to come from a more sporty Audi-designed
1.6 litre engine.
Other improvements over the standard Golf were to include
stiffer springs, bigger wheels and front disc brakes,
closer gear ratios and a lower ride height - all the ingredients
needed to make a hot hatch.
The 1.6 litre twin-carburettor engine developed 100 bhp,
which was soon upgraded with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection
increasing power to 110 bhp.
Combined with 5-speed transmission, (replaced the 4-speeder
in 1981), it could do 0-100 km/h in around 9 seconds. In
1982, the engine was stroked-out to 1.8 litres, which
gave a slight power rise of 2 hp and 13 lbft. |
First of all, the mk1 GTI was not from 1981 to 1984 but from 1976 to 1984. It did not have a flat-4 engine with twin carburettors and 100bhp but an inline-4 engine with Bosch K-Jetronic and 110bhp from the beginning.
It says that the GTI featured bigger wheels, front disc brakes and a lower ride height. It did not. The GTI had the same 13x4,5" steel wheels as the ordinary Golf up to 1982. It did have front disc brakes, but so did the ordinary Golf. The difference was that the GTI had vented rotors as opposed to the Golfs solid rotors. It also did not ride any lower than the standard Golf.
The 1,8 112bhp DX engine is not a "stroked-out" version of the 1,6 110bhp EM. The block is quite different with a bigger bore. Also, the cylinder head is completely different.
More accuratly, what the original GTI featured which made it better than the standard Golf was: vented rotors, fatter tyres, front and rear swaybars, bucket seats, wing flairs, a large two-piece front spoiler, black-painted bumpers, the 110bhp engine, the close-ratio transmission and much more standard equipment that was optional to the standard Golf.