Registration No: PAJ 37X
Chassis No: 17BW655730
MOT: August 2024

• Modest mileage of c.92,000 miles on the odometer
• Pleasingly early and unmodified example
• Just four former keepers and a resident of the vendor's private collection since 2021
• Offered with a large history file

Now in its eighth generation, the Golf GTi remains the hot hatch by which all rival products are judged. The inaugural version was made available to a delighted German public in June 1976 and, while it wasn't until July 1979 that right-hand drive versions landed on British shores, a special order of 22 left-hand drive examples were imported by Volkswagen the year before to whet the appetite of an already salivating UK enthusiast fraternity still further. The ploy worked perfectly as the car's unique combination of handling, performance, packaging, and affordability was an instant hit. Suddenly, there was the perfect solution for the enthusiast who'd forsaken his sports car to transport a young family - the GTi was what you might call a 'cake and eat it' car. Models have a habit of growing over the years and today's Polo is in fact larger than the original Golf, never mind the current generation of Golf itself, which is way bigger. So, although naturally not as quick as the current offering, the first generation GTi is actually more nimble and still great fun to drive - small wonder then that collectors have long since latched on to the good ones.

Manufactured in 1981 and destined for the United Kingdom, the Mk1 GTi offered was registered new on 5^th August that year. Finished in the attractive and popular colour combination of Mars Red with Red and Black cloth interior upholstery and Black carpeting, ‘PAJ 37X’ is a pleasingly unmodified and early example, featuring windows etched with the registration number, standard interior (save for a modern radio system), standard wheels and unchanged exterior appearance. Having approximately 92,000 miles recorded on the odometer, the Golf was acquired by the vendor as an addition to his private collection in 2021 and has had a mere four former keepers from new.

Benefitting from much improvement in 2020, the Mk1 GTi received uprated front brake discs and pads, rear brake shoes, a new exhaust, front grille, and rear light cluster, and additionally, last received a timing belt change at 89,800 miles. Supplied with a history file that contains a very large collection of previous invoices (dating back to the 1980s), a large selection of previous MOTs certificates, past tax discs, and current V5C document, ‘PAJ 37X’ is due to be offered with a fresh MOT certificate in time for sale. Unmolested examples of the iconic Golf GTi are getting fewer and this example with modest mileage and low owner numbers, surely represents a great example to get into Mk1 GTi ownership.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452