1980 Volkswagen Mk1 Rabbit - One Take 

Love the fact we get a 1000hp Camaro one episode, and a rusted out Rabbit the next. Thanks for the variety Matt!

The owner of this car makes this video about 10x better and 1000x more German. Pretty neat sounding guy. You can tell he loves his car!

Most remarkable vehicle Matt's ever tested. A true piece of mechanical innovation.

This was great, one of the coolest guys to appear on One Take. Thank you Matt and Mike.

European MK1's look so much better, but the MK2 will always be the most beautiful golf ever made.

Thanks for showing us a part of history. 😃

Had a 1980 4-speed manual diesel in high-school. You know what? It might have topped out at 70ish mph, but what a great car for the tight, twisty country roads on which I learned to drive. I'll never regret having learned on that car. And, frankly, I'm probably alive because I couldn't get into over-the-top trouble. Thanks for sharing that VW and welcome back! Good stuff!

I can't explain why I like these cars so much. They look so fun.

This guy knows a LOT! So much fun to listen to.

love when an owner has knowledge all over the place. it's so great he knows what he has and loves it in spite of its shortfalls.

Oh damn those old school TSW wheels look so perfect on the car!

That's the cleanest looking rust I've ever seen lol(love the white wheels especially)

I went to the junkyard one day and found a 1990s golf with 980k on the odometer.. Not sure if it was real or not but God damn did it catch me off guard lmao

Had a Mk1 Scirocco, same platform, just better looking. Truly a great car, fun to drive, super easy to work on.

From a 1000 bhp Camaro to a de-tuned MK1 Rabbit. This show is great.

Love the clearcoat look on this car. Cool toy to have in the garage!

I really dig the look of it! The clear coated rust is pretty awesome!

I love builds like this. The owners love the heck out of their car, and it shows.

1740lbs... That number doesn't even exist in cars anymore outside of those little British racing beasts. Crazy!

I have no idea how you made me actually have fun watching a 1980 Rabbit.... Good video.

I could kill to drive on those roads. Absolutely stunning

good to see someone freely talking and not quiet.

Ah, takes me back. My '84 Rabbit was the best thing ever. It taught me how to drive, thrashing around in the pitch-black, deer-infested back roads of suburban New Jersey. I sure do miss it.

Great One Take, I love this guy's enthusiasm. you don't need $$$$ to be a car nut

This brings back memories... I had an '86 MK2 GTI which I modded the crap out of (intake, headers, exhaust, CAT delete, cam, konis). It was only 100 BHP stock, but mine must have been busting out in the 130 BHP range. I would race my buddies with period MR2 and 280zx and was able to keep up with no problem. Of course my cousin with his heavily modded Grand National would put me back in my place with no mercy. However, I drove that GN, and was terrified every time I approached a turn!! The Koni suspension did the car in after three years (horrid NNJ winter roads), it just shook apart. I ended up trading it in for a 1st Gen Eclipse GS Turbo... Here we go modding again (It's a sickness only car guys understand)!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!! Great video!!

the owner seems like a pretty awesome guy

I have a Euro Golf mk1, one of the best car I have ever driven, light car, 75bhp wich are enough, a lot of space inside and you really feel your car so much better than modern cars ! If you come to France one day !

I love my 240 and STi but there are days that I really want an MK1 rabbit.

Love it!! Thanks for the variety on this channel

this is honestly most down to earth interview. The car is classic old yet runs great. Great talk and laugh, no supercar does this for o people having a nice recollection talk.

Saw this car on freeway while on holiday this year (i'm from UK) cool..

Wow this made me miss my first car. In South Africa the 'rabbit' was sold as the MK1 golf, and was still manufactured locally for MANY years after it died elsewhere - including modernized engines with injection from the newer VW cars. I had a '99 1.3 with the carb and the (then-new) 5 speed box. It was an absolute local legend, and so many are still on our roads, including some monster S3 conversions and high power drag cars still drive around upsetting Porsches. These unfortunately got stolen here so much that when I moved to my 2003 BMW 330i, my insurance premiums halved. Great memories, thanks Matt

Love the drive by. Empty screen..waiting...waiting...tick tock...tick tock...there it is. Definitely a fun momentum machine. Want one now.

I really liked this video, just driving around in an odd car. Matt's grin is awesome like a kid whose dad gave him the keys and said drive it. The kid is just happy to be driving. Nice job Matt.

My dad had an '82 Rabbit Diesel, 52hp in all its glory.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm impressed with this VW rabbit. it sounded good, it handles well and it didn't bottom out or scrape and the turning radius was great. not bad for a car of the 80s. once that mechanical EFI goes out tho, I'd swap a stock 1.8T in it from the 2000s. great video

You'll have to come drive my '83 Rabbit GTi next time you're in Washington state. It's a true patina delight.

one of the most fun carts I ever owned was an '84 mk1 GTI.. ended up giving it to a neighbor when I moved

Nice video, love the mk1 Vw chassis. My 81 Jetta is a dream to drive down a twisty road. Not sure about 1750lbs though that's pretty light for even a stripped out mk1. It's closer to 2000lbs or more

This owners is so cool! It is great to see two car guys geeking out over this car!

not really my type of car, but cool none the less, and props to the owner for the paint job, really adds character :)

This is the coolest car so far!

Again, seeing Matt in a classic mini would be fucking hilarious. Please make it happen Matt!

I actually like how the paint/rust looks

I saw this car on Craigslist and in the ad it was written that it will be featured here

Such a timeless design.

I missed these Matt. Thanks.

I grew up not far from where that was manufactured and my father worked at the plant.

Cool little rabbit

yay one takes are back

First car was a 80 diesel rabbit and yes it was painfully slow, probably why I survived my teenage years. Wish I still had it now

Love the patina

This video was good fun! Had a 79 parked at grandparents farm we would bomb around in when we were kids. So much fun! Sad day when the CV joint finally broke.

I have the pleasure of driving a 1984 mk1 vw rabbit gti as my first car. It's a blast.

It just goes to show that it's not always about having the fastest car. 😁

Back in the day, my buddy and I tooled around in his Mk I Scirocco S and my Mk I Ford Fiesta. They both had about 75 hp, but at 1800 pounds, they were a blast to drive.

I get to drive some fancy cars at work, but at the end of the day I can't wait get home and drive my scirocco. Nice vwabbit.

I had an 84 GTI. I paid $650.00. Drove it into the ground. Pretty much gave it away to a good friend who needed wheels. I loved that car.

I maxed my MK1 diesel 1.6 liter at 80 mph going down hill with a slight tailwind. To call them slow is an understatement. Funnest car I've ever owned and driven though.

Hi Matt,I just love these cars. I've owned and driven all the fun VW''s. My first car was a 77 Rabbit California "Wild Hare" edition with red plaid interior. My next was a white 78 Scirocco "S" "Sidewinder" edition. That was my best car ever. Even back than I put a Neuspeed Cam, sway bars and Koni yellow sport shocks with Neuspeed springs. I put in a 1.8 Gti motor with close ratio 4spd. I remember staying shift for shift with a Alfa Romeo on Muholland drive back in the late 80's. Those were the days. I recently found a nice Red 81 Scirocco "S" ediition that I have build up to the same specs as my original 78. I'll be trying it out soon up Angeles Crest hwy. Keep en eye out you can't miss this car it's a beauty. I'll let you drive it once I make sure it's ready. Gotta fine tune the brakes. Runs like a champ right now.Andre

Thanks for showing some vintage watercooled VW, Matt. Always love me a MK1. Check out the MK1 Scirocco 16V. Hope someone offers one up for drive.

I remember back in the day used to see these @ SCCA autocross all the time Im stealing that "Original Rust" for my old truck LOL

That is a beautiful 914!! Can't wait to see it!

Haha, my aunt worked at that plant! She probably did something to that car.

I had a 1986 white Golf mk2 3 door hatch with the 1.8L engine w/ a 5 speed man. trans for a few years back in the day. It was actually a nice little fun to drive car. Great in the snow too. Was in great condition and I sold it for more than I bought it for! It had Wolfsburg Edition badges on it but not sure it was one. It had no power steering either. Good car.

that's awesome. I have a box of NOS parts from the VW plant from when it shut down. Including all new fuel dizzy and intake.

Nice car! Cool owner too.

The owner is so cool!!

have to say the owner made the video! He seems like an awesome guy and he knows his Golfs!

cool guy

Always liked the rasp of VW's inline water cooled fours when changing gears.

that interior is way cool

I had an 83 Rabbitt, 3 speed manual with overdrive. Four door, maroon paint. Wish I still had it, it was fun to drive.

drove an 81 deisel rabbit across Pennsylvania for a buddy moving used cars for his business. . I drew the short straw and got the rabbit deisel. . with 560000 miles on the clock.. thats damn near to the moon!! if you could drive there.. thing got almost 60mpg ! ran like a Swiss watch and was in great shape. .only noticeable thing to let you know it's age was worn rubber on pedals and sheepskin seat covers. . other than that it was mint. Philly to somewhere north of Clearfield. . yes you had to use momentum to get up hills on rt80 but all in all I totally could daily one. never owned a rabbit but have driven 8v and 16v and they are a blast. . I got into the turbo glh omnis and went crazy with those during the late 90s when the glh cars were 500 bucks and junkyards still had tons of turbo Chrysler stuff to pick thru for the best combination of parts from the later years.. little hatchback cars are just good fun

Had a 1977... It was a reliable winter car with fuel injection and Premium fuel. Drove it in the early 90s while my RX-7 was in winter storage...

Germany representttt! You show those yanks what a real car is, Mike!

WOOOOOO THE COMEBACK

it's always a good one take when the owner of the car knows how to interact with Matt. give us a video on your notchback please!

I had an '84 diesel rabbit in high school. Got it for $600. Had over 300K miles on it when the odometer broke. It shook, it stank and it was slower than molasses but it never broke down : )

Euro MKI GTI, you will love it!

Fantastic little thing, a piece of history. You should try and drive an Alfasud next, that thing is a riot of a FF to drive.

cool ride! ... and that turning radius!

This video makes me miss mine, wish I hadn't sold it.

Cool video, knowledgeable guy and nice to see something different. Thanks.

Modern brakes, suspension and 2.0turbo would make it one hell of a daily driver. Those little dodge omni GLH were fun too

waiting a month for a badass upload and this is what we get...........

Matt you need to drive one of these with disk brakes and a 16v 1.8

Can we somehow get more of Mike on the channel? I love his persona.

I knew a guy with a Wolfsburg (sp?) edition in high school. It wasnt really quick off the line, but that thing stuck in corners like the tires were glued to the road!!

always wanted a mk1 but have only owned mk2s. Very nice to see old school VW on here, props Matt. Now if u could get a Scirocco or Corrado on here, Id b in heaven lol

love it! what a nice and fun car

Should drive one of my neighbour ones.(Germany unfortunally) He has 5. 2 Cabrios, 1 CL , 1 with an 16V MK2 Engine and one red Hartmann MK1 with Double Weber Carburators and 1.6 8V Hartmann Engine, Hartmann Exhaust, Hartmann Headers, Koni Suspension and OZ Turbo Wheels. It is making 148 BHP and sounds hilarious. Total Pocket Rocket. In Love with this thing. But as Mike mentioned, not much left of good MK1s in Germany. Crazy other friend of mine had a Bi-Turbo VR6 and 30m of Steel as a rollcage in it. Undriveable with FWD...

I had the 1980 gti with a 5 speed, small sports steering wheel and deep bucket seats and built in Germany. A fun car with only 78hp and top speed about 103. I do those speeds in seconds now on ramps with a 470hp S4 and other cars.

My first car was a diesel Rabbit. Really fun off road and in the snow.

FINALLY!! something interesting!

I used to have a VW Golf Mk.II CL (Diesel). The Mk.II is heavier and the diesel only had about 45 bhp. You had to cane it just to drive the speed limit. But it was pretty fun in the snow where 45 is enough to spin the wheels and the box shape makes it a great rally car.

That was awesome!! That was exactly my first car waaay back when. Square headlights, crank sunroof and all. The color was something i considered 'turkey turd tan' Left me stranded several times and hated the rain yet i still enjoyed it :)

Cool this car was made in my county!

Matt, you need to find someone with a 2L 16V swap in one of these. They're an absolute blast at 150-200HP and don't upset the balance at all. Jason Cammisa @ motortrend has a sick scirocco that's built. Chassis is essentially the same and they were all built in Germany.