3-door/5-door 4-seater hatchback.

The original 'hot hatch', and - some say - still the best of all. Based on Golf, but with 110bhp (112bhp for 1982 model 1.8s) Bosch-injected engines, there was a 112-115mph top speed, acceleration and roadholding to match, and enormous joie-de-vivre into the bargain. Highly-specified, without any 'sillies' (no automatics, for instance, and no dress-up stripes), it was - and still is- everyone's favourite. LHD only until mid-1979, and no 5-door models in UK.