That's right, another Mk1 Golf GTI. I don't have a real reason for buying this one, aside from flying into Heathrow prior to Audi's launch of the new A8 and seeing an advert for a 1983 Golf GTI, which just so happened to be in the Heathrow district.

If you look closely you'll notice it's a left-hand drive model, reportedly bought by one of Steven Spielberg's executives while filming in Germany back in the day. He moved to the UK in 1988, where the car was sold to a French chap who used it as a summer commuter - ferrying between London and France. He eventually sold the black Mk1 Golf; the new owner drove it into a garage and there it stayed for eight years.

It was pulled out of hibernation when I arrived - a little scratched and dented, definitely dusty, but rust free. The battery was dead as a Kennedy, but with a few minutes of charge we were up and running, all the way to the test-centre.

It passed on the spot. A few minutes later and keys, paperwork and ownership were traded for $ 2K. And I was on my way to see my girlfriend Jacqui, who was waiting to roll her eyes at my impulse purchase.

In between flight transfers I gave the Golf a fairly serious shakedown, driving around the UK to pick up various components for the blue project Mk1 Golf.

In total 1,207 kilometres were thrown under its belt, mostly with my right foot buried deep into the carpet. The Mk1 is soon to be fitted with new suspension and tyres, and then shipped over to Dubai, for road use: unlike the blue one, which is destined for track-use only.

In the meantime the black Volkswagen has been handed over to Jacqui, who is now using it as daily transport (to work and back) and for country-lane silliness. But not before the battery had to be replaced, after leaving madam stranded at the shops laden with bags. Sorry.