Volkswagen Jetta GLI from 1986 is the Bring a Trailer

To a whole generation of enthusiasts, the Jetta GLI of the second generation served as the first sports sedan they ever owned.

• For many young drivers, the Volkswagen Jetta GLi was their first experience with a German sports sedan.

• The odometer on this one shows only 12,000 kilometers, and it comes with a few features that are not very common.

• It is a great classic that transcends time.

With the launch of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen has removed the manual transmission from the base car. However, if you add a three-letter suffix, GLI, to your Volkswagen sedan, you will still be able to have a six-speed stick and three pedals. Because the GLI has been the German sports sedan of choice for the average person for many years, this is an appropriate move. You might have fantasized about driving a BMW or an Audi, but with the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, you can still experience the thrill of driving something that satisfies your needs.

A gorgeous and rather uncommon example of what made the Jetta GLI such a long-running favorite has just surfaced on Bring a Trailer, which, like Car and Driver, is a part of Hearst Autos. This is a lovely bit of serendipity that has just occurred. In addition to the more expensive Wolfsburg package, this 1986 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Wolfsburg Edition comes with the exceptional Pirelli package, which is not commonly seen. It comes with 14-inch P-slot alloy wheels and a full leather interior. The latter is something nearly never found in a Jetta of this vintage. Moreover, it features a jaw-dropping 12K kilometers on the odometer. It's boxy, gorgeous, and part of the heritage behind why VW is keeping the manual sport sedan going.

The second-generation (A2) Jetta was significantly bigger than the zippy first-gen automobiles, and thus more comfortable and functional for U.S. purchasers. Production ran from 1984 to 1992, and thanks to a second longer run in the Chinese market, over 1.7 million of these cars were made. You may alos read this: Must Know Specs of the Audi A3 2025

Mass appeal is not rare in a Volkswagen product, but there was something special about the Mk2 Jetta. From its inception in 1984, the GLI grade took the sportiness of the GTI hatchback and coupled it with four-door practicality and a fairly large trunk. If you were a sensible buyer but yet had a pulse, you could have a compact family car commuter from Monday to Friday that loved to party down a back road on the weekends.

It wasn't about sheer horsepower, with the initial 1.8-liter automobiles making do with barely 90 horsepower (this later 1986 version boasts a monstrous 102 hp). Instead, it's the total driving experience, the whole better than the sum of its parts. Just like the GTI, the GLI loves to be abused through the tricky portions. Owners have at least as much pleasure as that more costly BMW, perhaps even more.

If you were seeking for a highly collectible specimen of an early GLI, you've found it. Not only does this Jetta GLI have outstanding mileage, but it also has had a complete list of recent maintenance, including critical components like the timing belt. For a Volkswagen aficionado, it's a must-add to the collection. For someone who just appreciates a wonderful drive, it's the kind of car to turn you into a Volkswagen fan in the first place.

We're delighted VW is keeping the stick gear around for the Jetta GLI. It's a nice way to pay homage to wonderful machines like this blast from the past.

The auction finishes on September 16th.