Volkswagen’s Golf GTI (or ‘Rabbit’ in the ‘States) was not the first hot hatchback. For that you need to go back a few years to the Chrysler/Talbot/Simca/Lotus Sunbeam (car manufacturer takeovers in ’70s were very complicated!). However it was the first to popularise the formula, and in doing so it nearly killed off the traditional sports car – at least until Mazda reinvigorated it a decade and a half later.

Launched in 1975 and powered by a fuel injected 1.6 litre engine with 110bhp, and later a 1.8 with a little more, the GTI was more than a match for the traditional sports cars of the day. And you could get five people on board. And they wouldn’t get wet if it rained.

This brilliant little Lego version of the iconic classic hot hatch is the work of serial bloggee Ralph Savelsberg aka Mad Physicist, and there’s more to see at his photostream on Flickr via the link above.