7 hours Ago By Jack Mortimer
A motoring personality has taken to YouTube to recommend a once-popular hot hatchback that is the ideal model for drivers looking to own their first classic car . Tommy Mica is one of the presenters on TFLclassics , a YouTube channel focusing on showcasing a wide range of interesting models from the past . In a recent video , Tommy takes a look around a second-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI , stating that it offered attractive looks and a number of variants.
He explained: "This isn't just any Golf GTI . It launched with an eight-valve engine, then a sixteen-valve engine, and then, in the USA, there was a 2.0-litre version which was made from 1987 to 1992.
This one is the best of the best: a 1992 16-valve 2.0-litre Golf GTI. Look at the design of this car; it has aged so gracefully.
Part of the reason why some people don't like this car as much as the original is that they're quite a bit bigger and heavier, but the design is still iconic and has aged beautifully well." Whilst the original Volkswagen Golf GTI is often considered to be the first popular hot hatchback, the second-generation model improved it by making it more practical and powerful. Built from 1983 to 1992, the second-generation Golf GTI's range of engines spanned from a 1.
8 to a 2.0-litre and could be distinguished from less powerful variants due to the red accents around the bumpers and grille, and the set of four headlamps. Whilst particularly cherished examples of the second-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI can now fetch upwards of £15,000, drivers can still get a usable example from around £5,000.
Getting inside the retro hot hatchback, Tommy noted that the interior is a lot more comfortable than a modern alternative, even if the dashboard is notably chunkier. He added: "There's some really cool stuff in here, starting with the Recaro seats. Modern GTIs are so heavily bolstered, they squeeze you in and don't want you leaving, but these Recaros are beautifully comfortable.
Yes, they're bolstered, but they're also very supportive and they just don't squeeze you like the new ones do. "I love the red accents on the dashboard, including the '16-valve' logo on the glovebox, and I love how everything is square and chunky. Everything is square and chunky!" On the road, Tommy highlighted that, like the majority of 1980s cars, the non-power-assisted steering can be heavy; however, the Golf offered plenty of power.
He continued: "First things first, the steering is incredibly heavy but very responsive. The rack is a little bit slower than what I was expecting; it takes more steering wheel input to get it to turn, but it's got a great feel to it. "And it's so much quicker than the first-generation Golf GTI I've driven.
This will do 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds and, even with 133bhp, it will accelerate up to over 130mph. Pretty decent performance!".
