2005 Volkswagen GTI 1.8 Turbo
What a differences a decades makes. Volkswagen's GTl was the scourge of the hot economy-compact crowd just ten years ago and set the tone for young drivers who loved the pep and panache it provided. That was then this is now. Honda has just introduced a new Civic Si, Subaru's WRX has become legendary, the Mitsubishi Eclipse has stolen the youth market, the MINI S continues to dominate handling contests, and even Mazda has entered the fray with a dynamic modified 3 model that is nearly as fast and costs many thousands less. The bottom line is that the GTl has grown fat and old as it pushes nearly 3000 pounds around on a dated chassis that relies heavily on the turbocharged 1.8 engine to overcome any deficiencies.
