Then, he sold it for a fraction the price of the modifications.
It might seem odd to spend the equivalent of a BMW M8 Competition Coupe on an old hot hatch aged 37 years, but we can’t judge a mans love for his first-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI. Technically, this car is a Rabbit GTI because it was built for North America. The original Golf and fifth-gen models were sold in North America under the “Rabbit”.
Derek Spratt is a 21-year old student from Ontario, Canada who purchased a Mk1 GTI back when he was just 21 years old. Although he was the first person to drive the Grand Touring Injection car, this is not the same car. He sold his GTI and bought another GTI with the same build date many years later.
This VW is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, a result of more than 12,000 hours work and an estimated $140,000 investment. Derek Spratt captured the entire project in over 180 videos that were shared on social media. He detailed every detail, small and large, to his classic hot hatchback . Below is a long list of changes that the car has seen. Here are some highlights.
Derek Spratt and an engine builder teamed up to create a powerful 220-hp custom engine. This engine can be dialed up to add 20 horsepower. The Golf GTI will debut at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show with 240 ponies. The engine is connected to a five-speed, close-ratio gearbox that features a Quaife limited slip differential.
Everything has been modified, from the Lexan rear windows to the Lexan hatch and hatch made of carbon fiber, as well as the hood and hatch made of that same material. A digital instrument cluster is included, as well as LED headlights. The car also features a 1,200-watt soundsystem. Derek Spratt did more than just make engine and transmission adjustments. The Rabbit GTI features a new exhaust, an upgraded suspension, and improved cooling. Every nut and bolt received the best care.
According to the builder, the Rabbit GTI weighs in at 1,800 pounds (816 kgs) in track configuration. It is no longer his, he sold it to a couple from Vancouver, British Columbia last month “at a fraction the cost of the modifications.”