Pleasant acquaintance
The Golf 1 was produced for the model years 1974 through 1983. I used the Golf mk1 (and Jetta mk1) as my daily means of transport for over a year – as rental cars while I was working in another country. The Golf 1 received a facelift in 1979, and it was the facelifted models that I got to know. A pleasant acquaintance.
Positive signaling effect
Driving the Golf 1 at motorway speed across a pancake-flat landscape with howling winds required a steady hand on the wheel. They were sensitive to crosswinds and noisy due to wind noise, road rumble and engine noise - the kind of noise that causes headaches. But I liked the look and the fixtures. Also at that time - or especially At that time – you sent positive signals when you drove a Golf.
Golf 1 before facelift
Metal bumpers with a full-width rubber strip are a visual hallmark of the very first Golf series. The engines were 1.1, 1.3 or 1.5, but from December 1975 the engine range was expanded. At that time the 1.5 engine was replaced by a 1.6 engine and cars with a diesel engine (1.5D) were available.
The Golf 1 was produced as a 3- or 5-door hatchback or as a 2-door convertible. A pickup truck variant called the Caddy was also produced.
About the pictures
The light yellow car is a 1977 model that was photographed at the Hoftreffet in 2021. The green car was photographed together with the Citroen 2CV at a car meet in Perpignan, France. The lowered red Series 1 car with matching BBS rims was photographed at a VW gathering organized by VACN (VW Audi Club Norwegen) outside Møller's headquarters in Frysja in Oslo. The red car parked on grass participated in a vehicle exhibition in Tønsberg, 2024. The Golf with a patinated bonnet (foil) is pictured at a car meet in Canet-en-Roussillon, France.
Golf 1 after facelift
Visual changes included wrap-around plastic bumpers and wider rear light clusters. On the engine side, the 1.5D was replaced by the 1.6D, which was later available as a turbodiesel (1.6TD).
About the pictures
The car in the main photo at the top of the page is a Series 2 car that looks completely untouched. It was photographed at the old air traffic control tower at Fornebu. The red car was photographed at a Cars & Coffee meet at Øvrevoll galopp. It is a 1982 model Golf C. The black car participated in a car meet in Canet-en-Roussillon, France. With dual headlights, it resembles the Golf 2.
Golf GTI
The Golf GTI mk1 was launched in 1975 and went into production as a 1976 model. It formed a class of its own and became a designation for highly efficient small cars. The Volkswagen Golf GTI had a 1.6 liter engine with gasoline injection and 110 hp. From 1982 it got a 1.8 liter engine with 112 hp.
The first cars were only available in silver or red paint, later more colors became available. GTI grille with red surround, black moldings, black fender flares, black spoiler lip and black moldings on the A-pillars were external characteristics. Inside, the cars received, among other things, characteristic checked seat upholstery.
About the pictures
The silver car in the main photo is pictured at a Cars & Coffee meetup at Øvrevoll Galopp. The silver car with the hood raised was on display at the Oslo Motor Show.
Golf GTI 16 S
Volkswagen Golf GTI 16 S was a special model produced for the French market. The French importer of Volkswagen was worried that the Golf GTI was not fast enough to compete with its competitors – and he probably had the Peugeot 205 GTI in mind. Maybe also the Renault 5 Alpine? With the help of Oettinger, Volkswagen was able to deliver an upgraded GTI with a 136 hp 16-valve engine and upgraded chassis. The model was to be a supplement to the regular 110 hp version and was produced in only 1250 units. It was a sufficient number to make the front pages of French car magazines and win duels in the car press – but far from sufficient to meet demand.
About the pictures
Pictured are 3 white special GTI motels, Oettinger 16 V (16 Soupapes) made for the French market. One is from a meeting outside Møller's headquarters in Frysja - under the auspices of VACN. Another was photographed in Saint-Cyprien in connection with a night rally for classic cars. The last was photographed in France at a car meeting near Perpignan.
Golf Cabriolet
The Golf 1 Cabriolet was produced from 1979 to 1993. It was then replaced by the Golf 3. No convertible based on the Golf 2 was ever produced. One may wonder where Karmann, who built the cars, obtained Golf 1 bodies after the model was no longer produced in Wolfsburg?
Early models have the 1.5 liter engine with 69 HP, while the latest models have Volkswagen's 1.8 liter engine with 98 HP (1P), - the same engine that we find in the Golf II Syncro (Slovakia) and Gol (Argentina). There are also some convertibles with Volkswagen's well-known 1.6 with 75 HP. Technically, the convertible version is identical to the regular Golf. Everything that is specific to the convertible, like the hood and such, can be bought on Ebay. That is probably one of the reasons why many of the 388 cars produced are still on the road. Since convertibles are usually sold in warm regions, most have also escaped salted, Nordic winter roads.
About the pictures
The brown car with French plates and Teledial rims was photographed at a car meet in Perpignan 2024. The red convertible was parked outside a garage in Notting Hill, London. The photo of the brown, Norwegian car with the hood down was taken at Øvrevoll galopp in connection with a Cars & Coffee meet. A silver-gray car is pictured at a VW/Audi meet organized by VACN. The white one was photographed in France, at a car meet in Canet-en-Roussillon outside Perpignan. The gray one with golden BBS rims was photographed at a VW/Audi meet at Exporama. The large photo of the dark blue car was taken in Copenhagen 2023.
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