Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3, Mark 4, Mark 5, Mark 6, Mark 7, and Mark 8, which is the very latest version, the 8.5.

And I'm going to drag race them over the standing quarter mile to see how the performance of these Golf GTIs has improved, or maybe not improved as you'd expect, over the years.

I'm Matt Watson, and you're watching Car Wow.

We're going to run this drag race in two heats, and we're going to start off with a Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3, and Mark 4.

The Mark 1 Golf GTI has a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 110 horsepower and 140 newton-metres of torque, drives the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, and the car weighs just 810 kilos.

When it was on sale back in the day, it cost around £6,500.

The Mark 2 Golf GTI 16-valve is powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with 129 horsepower and 168 newton-metres of torque.

It drives the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, and the car weighs in at 920 kilos.

Back in 1991, this car cost just under £14,000.

The Mark 3 Golf GTI 20th Anniversary Edition has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 115 horsepower and 166 newton-metres of torque, sends the power to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, and the car weighs in at 1,090 kilos.

Back in 1997, this car cost just under £17,000.

The Mark 4 Golf GTI 25th Anniversary Edition 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but this one puts out 180 horsepower and 239 newton-metres of torque.

It drives the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, and weighs in at 1,324 kilos.

In 2002, this car cost just under £19,000.

First things first, Sam, I'm taking it you don't have air conditioning?

I do not have air conditioning, no.

Rory, you look like you might be about to pass out.

I'm assuming you don't either.

No, I've got a little blue sticker, but when you actually turn the fans on, it's just red hot.

There's like fire coming out.

I have a button that says AC, and it goes red, and it illuminates when you press it, but all that comes out of the air vents is roasting hot air.

The aircon doesn't work.

Finally, Nick, how are you doing?

You're the only one with your windows up, so...

I think you can probably tell from my smug face and my non-sweaty brow that I have very functional air conditioning.

In fact, I'm going to turn it down.

Lovely.

Shut up, you show-off.

Right, let's just start off and get through this as quick as we can with a sound check.

We've already got our windows down, so Sam, you go first with the classic.

Oh, 1.6.

That revs really well.

And Rory?

Ooh.

16 valve.

Oh, 16 valve head on that.

Right, I've got 16 valves.

I've got two litres as well.

Listen.

And finally, the Mark IV, which is a turbo.

Oh, there are some whistles in there.

Okay, which one do we think sounds the best?

Yours?

Definitely.

It's got the lightest flywheel.

I think it's mine.

How about you, Nick?

Which do you like the best?

Or yours with the turbo?

Anyway, I think it's whichever one you're sat in.

Shall we get on with this drag race?

Because there's too much chatting.

We're melting right here.

Three, two, one.

Oh, too much wheel spin.

Had to moderate it.

Come on.

The 16 valve was ahead of me.

Come on.

And he absolutely dicked me on the gear change.

I am the worst.

Woo-hoo-hoo.

Oh, no.

Come on, boys.

I got absolutely pummelled.

I'd like to have one more go.

I got a bit of wheel spin, but I thought I was going to come past you, but everyone just buggered off.

Yeah, this thing launched really, really well.

The gearbox on it is actually really nice, to be honest.

But the car just got even hotter when we were going.

I'm leaking.

You're very pleased, aren't you, Sam, aren't you?

Yeah, very pleased.

Yeah, this launched well.

If that launched well, what did this do, Rory?

It launched OK.

Right, let's do one more go.

Three, two, one.

It's a better start.

Oh, come on.

Come on.

And my gear change is on point.

Come on.

16 miles per hour is quicker than how it comes to mark four.

Ah, still won.

Listen, I can't do better than that.

Rory, I don't know what you're quickest at, driving that thing or putting your windows down.

It's a close race.

I had my rose-tinted specs on, but they've just melted into my lap.

But I actually really like this car.

It's great.

The gearboxes, I thought it was going to be an absolute soup of a gearbox, but it's really nice.

This is definitely the slowest car.

I got a launch.

I was ahead of you.

My gear shifts were decent.

No, definitely that is the slowest car.

But I can't believe how fast that is.

Yeah, look at him grinning away.

But did you win, Nicholas?

I did win.

But despite having a god-awful launch, because this is the newest car, it has an ESP button.

And guess who forgot to switch it off?

Me.

But I still beat all of you.

Right.

Is that you asking for another go?

Well, I'd love another go, but I did win.

So I don't know if I need it.

So then what exactly happened?

Well, the Mk4 won.

It crossed the line in 16.6 seconds.

The Mk2 beat the Mk1 by the narrowest of margins, but both cars completed the standing quarter mile in 17.4 seconds.

The Mk3 came last.

It did the standing quarter mile in 17.6 seconds.

Right, now we're going to have a rolling race.

Second gear, roll on, 50 kilometers an hour.

First to the half mile wins.

Three, two, one, go.

Oh, no.

That's interesting.

I'm really close with the Mk1.

Oh!

Winter's down.

Look at you with the door open.

Okay, that was really interesting.

So you came last, Sam, but you beat me in the drag race, which is basically testament to the fact that you're a racing driver and I'm not, because you've got a better launch in a manual car.

Rory, you pulled away from me.

Yeah, I mean, this is the 16 valve one, isn't it?

With the slightly more horsepower, apparently with a catalytic converter.

But yeah, it seems faster than that newer car.

Probably to do with weight.

Nick, you had more weight, but you had more grunt, and you just blitzed us, didn't you?

Yeah, more power, more top-end turbo goodness, really.

And yeah, I couldn't even let this car down with a dodgy launch.

Okay, finally, then we're going to have a brake test.

I think we can leave our windows down for this, all right?

Do whatever you want, Nick.

Should be interesting for Sam, because he doesn't have ABS, but he has a racing driver's right leg.

He has a vibrating right leg and probably middle leg.

Okay, then let's have a brake test from 100 kilometers an hour when we reach the cones for an emergency stop.

Put that down.

If you'd rather watch another drag race, just click up there or follow the QR code on screen now.

Here comes the cones.

Ah, look at this.

I think you might have won, Nick.

Just, then I just beat you.

And even with your racing driver's leg, Sam,

I'm pretty sure only one caliper was working there.

Oh, there we go.

Old timers did a good job.

Let's move it up a gear now.

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On with the video.

Now we're going to drag race the newer cars.

So the Mk5, 6, 7 and the latest 8.5.

The Mk5 Golf GTI 30th Anniversary Edition has a 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 230 horsepower and 300 newton-metres of torque.

It drives the front wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox and the car weighs in at 1,336 kilos.

Back in 2006, the car cost just over £22,000.

This is a 2011 Mk6 Golf GTI.

It also has a 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and here it makes 235 horsepower and 300 newton-metres of torque.

This sends power to the front wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and the car weighs in at just under 1,400 kilos.

At the time, this car cost £27,000.

The Mk7 Golf GTI Performance has a 2-litre turbocharged, 4-cylinder petrol with 245 horsepower and 370 newton-metres of torque.

It sends power to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and weighs in at 1,387 kilos.

In 2018, the car cost just under £30,000.

Finally, we come to the brand new Mk8.5 Golf GTI.

It also has a 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, but here it delivers 265 horsepower and 370 newton-metres of torque and it drives the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and the car weighs in at just under 1,400 kilos.

The starting price of this new GTI is just under £39,000.

First things first, Rory, how are you feeling? It's much better. We've got aircon.

My shirt's a bit crispy, but I'm coming back to life, yeah.

I'll tell you what, I like old cars, but not when it's hot.

Not when it's hot. Anyway, let's have a listen to the sound of these newer cars because I think you might like old cars even more when we hear these.

Right, so let's start with you, Sam.

It's a bit sad, isn't it?

There's no soft limiter, though, is there, for you?

Rory, your turn.

Soft limiter, my turn.

It's a little fart.

I've got a little fart and finally the brand new Mach 8.5.

There are some pops and bangs, but there's also sound coming through the speakers.

Oh, I don't know which way to go. I'm going to go with your car, Nick, just because of the pops and bangs.

Yeah, pops and bangs win.

Yeah.

Okay, let's race.

Three, two, one.

Woo!

This just killed the power of my car, but now I'm taking Rory.

Nick has destroyed everybody.

I think the auto handbrake had put itself back on while I was waiting, and so it... I hate the way it does that.

It knows it's in launch control.

Why does it hold on, keep the bloody handbrake on, and then you start going, it's meh, and then the traction control kicks in.

It's just a joke.

I'd like to give it another go without that happening, and I don't know if you had the same problem, Rory, or anyone else did.

It was just me being unlucky.

Yeah, I managed to time it quite well, but as I'm not used to it, I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it.

I managed to time it quite well, but there's a massive delay on this, but I didn't realise your handbrake was on.

I thought I did really well, but now I feel a bit sad.

Well, I had turned it off, but then when we were setting up, I moved forward a bit.

That's why a manual handbrake is always better, you see, like this one here, so you can do skids.

Three, two, one.

That was better.

Woah.

No way.

Something's going on.

Has someone gone nandu?