Interesting!
No way I would put the MK1 second
I had 2 of things, god awful rust buckets.
MK8 would trounce ALL of them on a track and challenging B roads!
I guess it depends on peoples judgment criteria but the MK1 and MK2 always get voted highly because of nostalgia, but are objectively crap compared to the newer GTIs.
Poor old MK4 always gets kicked when it's down and usually comes last, or close to
It was waaaaaay better made than the MKV, 6 and 7 though.....but handled like shat.