Junkyard Gem: 2006 Volkswagen GTI

Keep in mind when Volkswagen of America ran its “Unpimp Zee Auto” sequence of tv commercials (peter stormare ftw! -Heard), being proven destroying livid and presumably quick tuner automobiles (a Mitsubishi Eclipse, Honda Civic and Ford Focus) by a Swedish man representing Deutschland's engineers? Allow us to all see them once more, as a result of they By no means Folks change into previous even after 18 years.

The automotive that was being marketed as being much better than any backyard-built front-wheel-drive scorching rod of the mid-2000s was the 2006 Volkswagen GTI, and for right this moment's Junkyard Gem we acquired That is what I acquired.

Volkswagen has utilized the GTI label to quite a lot of scorching fashions because the Golf GTI and its Scirocco GTI cousin first hit German roads in 1976, together with the Golf and Polo, however solely the Golf model is obtainable in the USA. Has been achieved. The primary GTI arrived in American showrooms as a 1983 mannequin, when the Golf was often known as the Rabbit right here.

Regardless of solely having 90 horses below the hood, the Mk1 Rabbit GTI was a whole lot of enjoyable and rapidly gained a cult following round right here. Keep in mind, even the well-known (and pretty heavy) AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S had solely 112 horsepower in US-market trim, in order that period's energy numbers look deceiving after we take a look at them by way of Twenty first-century eyes. May very well be a giver.

Volkswagen dropped the Rabbit title when the Mk2 Golf appeared in the USA as a 1985 mannequin. As a result of there have been no GTI variations of different VWs bought right here, the GTI may very well be bought by the VWoA with out the Golf badging. Due to devoted fans of GTI of any era, these automobiles aren’t straightforward to search out in automotive graveyards; Previous to right this moment's automotive, I had solely documented a couple of examples of the Mk2 GTI and Mk4 GTI in such areas.

To confuse everybody, each the Mk4 and Mk5 GTI had been bought as 2006 fashions. That is the unique Mk5, also called 2006 New GTI

it is a automotive extra Heavier than its 1983 ancestor (3,308 kilos vs. 1,918 kilos), however it has a greater power-to-weight ratio due to this turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC engine with direct injection. That's 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet, with every horse pulling 16.54 kilos (the '83 Rabbit GTI put 21.31 kilos on every horse). Sure, automobiles are getting heavier and heavier. Need to understand how a lot a 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with the elective V8 engine weighed? 3,236 kilos.

By the mid-2000s, People had spent 40 years loving guide transmissions, however this automotive's authentic purchaser selected the six-on-the-floor. In line with Volkswagen, we're now dwelling right here within the remaining mannequin 12 months of the three-pedal GTI.

This automotive seems to be in excellent situation for its age, with a really good inside and largely straight and strong sheet steel.

There’s a little little bit of rot across the rear windshield, nothing severe. We are able to assume some costly mechanical drawback despatched it to a yard simply south of the Denver metropolis limits.

This seems to be a sticker from Seattle's Iron Lung Information.

As soon as the work is finished right here, there is no such thing as a place to go, aside from the scraper!

Make buddies along with your quick.

For my part, the “Make Your Quicker Buddies” marketing campaign was not as enjoyable as “Unpimp Ze Auto”. Nonetheless, whenever you purchased the automotive you bought a bit GTI Quick Demon toy.