Without wishing to get ahead of ourselves, it's hard not to get a little excited about the prospect of a long summer. Obviously things are going to be very different for a good while yet, but the thought of being outdoors and potentially with many friends is perhaps more tempting than it's been in a very long time indeed. As ever, nobody realised quite how nice the simple pleasures were until they were abruptly taken away.
And, as we all know, the only way to really enjoy summertime journeys, be they solo or with other members of your household, is in a convertible. Nothing really matters so much with the sun on your face, wind in your hair and exhaust rasping away behind.
PH currently has more than 5,500 convertibles for sale, ranging from £700 Megane CCs to £4m Koenigseggs; there are even 699 diesel convertibles for sale, remarkable though that might sound. The time is right, basically, with showrooms back open and summer beckoning, to get back behind the wheel of a drop top sports car. Or, really, anything where the roof goes to be honest; dull complaints about torsional rigidity, weight and complexity can go hang at the moment - we need entertainment, and a car without a roof will do that. Repeatedly.
So, yes, a Golf GTI convertible rather closer to its 40th birthday than its 30th is not going to be the sharpest, fastest, sturdiest cabrio experience around. It probably wasn't in 1984, either, given the reputation Golf convertibles have typically enjoyed. But just look at it: there can't be many Mars Red GTIs of any kind left looking this fresh, especially with a beige hood and upholstery combo best described as 'summery'.
You know it's not too serious, for one thing. The Golf is built for pottering in or go to the coast or else explore the countryside adjacent to a nice pub garden. Nic Cackett tells me that he once drove a mint-condition, VW-owned Mk1 GTI convertible around Puerto Banus and felt many times cooler than the people making their way to moored-up gin palaces in supercars. And while he definitely wasn't, there is certainly something to be said for taking things a little slower and steadier once in a while.
And we know what you're thinking: if you want a classic two-door sports car for high days and holidays, why not buy one of those in the first place - and not a hot hatch with the roof missing? £6,000 means a Fiat Barchetta, Mazda MX-5 or MG F is easily in budget, along with one or two classic curios as well.
Well, because different cars appeal to different people, and an early Golf GTI in one form or another is always going to have its flag wavers. This is probably about as cheap as you're going to get into a Mk1 or Mk2, moreover, as perhaps the less desirable model variant. There may well be a bit of negotiating room, too, depending on if the MOT expiry date in May fell before or after the extension announcement.
Whatever the case, this Golf looks an entirely pleasant and rather charming way to while away a warm evening, even if it is just a solo drive to find flour. Perhaps this will make you go to the supermarket in the next town. And, maybe one day, when the world looks a little more normal, this GTI can be the open-top vessel for proper adventures. If nothing else, it's easy to think of many less entertaining ways to travel.
SPECIFICATION | VW GOLF GTI CONVERTIBLE
Engine: 1,781cc, four-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 112@5,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 112@3,500rpm
Year registered: 1984
Mileage: 99,112
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £5,990
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