Rabbit, Run: It keeps going... and going...
Given Volkswagen's recent announcement that it is pulling a Rabbit out of a hat Golf, and that
Easter has just fallen off the calendar, we thought we'd remind readers that they can still purchase something very
close to VeeDub's original bad bunny. That is, provided you call South Africa home.
In fact, Volkswagen's just announced that it's freshening the hot hatch icon. Known in SA as the Citi Golf, the 2006 facelift includes new rear light clusters and a reworked chin spoiler, among other alterations.
Inside, buyers and Windows-shoppers expecting the boxy hard-plastic first-gen era dashboard will be shocked to find that VW has massively updated the interior to appear more-or-less current. A split three-spoke steering wheel with metal-effect trim dominates the interior, and the instrument panel is slightly dated standard-VW fare, but SA consumers now have five new color choices from which to chose. Of course, the classic 'golf ball' shift knob has been retained.
(More photographs, information, and video links after the jump!)
With a starting price of 67,780 Rand (@ $11k U.S. dollars) and a 1.4-liter engine putting out 54 kW (74 horsepower) in base 'Chico' trim, the Volkswagen Citi Golf isn't cheap by American standards, but it is in line with local competition. Top-rung 1.6i models put out 101 horses and base at (around $16k U.S.). The pickup variant soldiers on in South Africa, as well.
From looking at Citi Golf, one might get the impression that VWSA's entire lineup is made up of Jurrasic castoffs, but interestingly enough, this Rabbit Redux shares showroom space with the current-generation Passat and Touareg. Perhaps this VW's less Rabbit and more Energizer Bunny, but its durability is nothing short of incredible. The reworked Citi Golf shown here is just now starting to hit dealer forecourts.
Check out these pre-facelift Citi Golf commercials, some of which trade on the 'Forever Young' theme:
- Aircraft Carrier (priceless)
- Quality Control (are they singing about what we think they are?)
- Digs
- Tattoo
- Garfield
Alright. So a few of us on the Autoblog staff have always had a soft spot for A1 GTIs with their sublime-for-the-day handling, hot hatch daddy rep and ridiculously cool tartan seat fabrics. This cinches it. We need a new project car.
[Source: Volkswagen South Africa]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bancho 5:15PM (4/17/2006)
"(the A1 Rabbit turns 21 this year)"
The VW Rabbit was introduced in the US in 1974. Wouldn't that mean that it's now going into its 32nd year or production (in a somewhat more evolved form of course)?
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Noah 5:34PM (4/17/2006)
Sorry guys but the Citi Golf is based on the A2 Chassie used in the Golf II / Jetta II NOT on the A1 Rabbit(Golf I)/Jetta I platform.
The A2 based Golf is also still produced in China but it's been given a front end facelift that looks something like a first generation Passat.
Fact check, fact check, fact check...
I own a 1990 Golf 1.8L 8v and I love it.
--Noah
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Steve 5:38PM (4/17/2006)
That Rabbit pickup could sell in the U.S. I know it failed last time out, but the idea of a unit body car based truck/ute is more welcome now. And I bet it great mileage.
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Noah 5:40PM (4/17/2006)
The Citi Golf went on sale in 1978 AFAIK.
And for those who care, the A2 based MkII Golf is still produced and sold in China, tho the front end has been revised to look like a passat or something and not very well at that.
--Noah
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s 5:40PM (4/17/2006)
If you look this Wabbit... it is the 1986 VW Golf.
Also this car doesn't have too many current technology like airbag. SA must not have safety regulations.
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GCH 5:48PM (4/17/2006)
...and it's being built in South Africa since 1978, so the South African version is actually 28 years old.
More shocking is the fact that VW in Brazil still builds the second gen. bus...this time with a rear mounted water-cooled 4 cylinder:
http://www.mundovertical.com/utilidades/novakombi.htm
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Sudden Distruption 5:57PM (4/17/2006)
The real question is...
Does it still weight only 1880 lbs dry?
Unlike the US fair that's gotten so fat, heavy and sloppy?
Inquire minds... etc...
Sudden Distruption
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Bill 6:04PM (4/17/2006)
I'd buy this before I bought a current Golf. With an updated dash, it looks quite nice.
I've always thought that certain 70's & 80's designs were sort of "timeless" anyway (this car, Volvos and M-Benz of the era come to mind). They weren't exactly fashionable to begin with, so they don't go out of fashion.
I've seen a guy here in the DC area who has done a tasteful and accurate rendition of what a VW "Caddy" pickup would look like-it's sweet.
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Bill 6:05PM (4/17/2006)
Oops, I meant to say "Caddy GTi"
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Bancho 6:17PM (4/17/2006)
The top photo clearly shows the rear end of an A1 Rabbit. Are saying that they based it on the A2 (which was introduced in the US in 1985) yet kept the A1 sheetmetal? Even the red one is clearly not from the A2 era of Golfs.
(sorry for using the US dates here and I do understand that the Rabbit/Golf intros vary depending on which country we're talking about)
On the other hand, I've always liked those cars and with the updated interior I'd give one some serious consideration were it to be sold here. If it were more throughly updated to take modern safety standards into consideration of course.
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Bancho 6:31PM (4/17/2006)
Here's a pretty good history of the Golf:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_Golf
The version being discussed here is based on the A1.
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Graham 6:48PM (4/17/2006)
"Sorry guys but the Citi Golf is based on the A2 Chassie used in the Golf II / Jetta II NOT on the A1 Rabbit(Golf I)/Jetta I platform."
Nope, the Citi Golf is an A1, clearly so.
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JCWhitless 6:49PM (4/17/2006)
Can anyone put together a list of vehicles that are the 'living dead', like the Chinese Cherokee and the brazil Vanagon...
Call it a collection of "Real Retro-Rides"...
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Bill E. Bobb 7:10PM (4/17/2006)
From the VW SA site, they say 21st B-day, '85 intro, gotta be a MK2, but those doors look like the original.
Even better: Factory VW Anti-Carjacking Course!
http://www.vw.co.za/about/driving_academy/hijackxcourse.jsp
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pauln 8:09PM (4/17/2006)
It's totally obviously a Gen 1 Golf (1974 intro). If VWSA is celebrating the CitiGolf's 21st Bday, its because it was introduced in SA 21 years ago! The Gen2 Golf was materially larger in every dimension; it would be preposterous for VW to make the Gen2 Golf "look" like a Gen1 Golf. It's an A1.
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Luis Camino 8:27PM (4/17/2006)
"Sorry guys but the Citi Golf is based on the A2 Chassie used in the Golf II / Jetta II NOT on the A1 Rabbit(Golf I)/Jetta I platform."
"Nope, the Citi Golf is an A1, clearly so."
nope, it's an A2, even though it totally looks like the A1 in the front and rear ends, compare the profile and the shape of the doors/windows with both old models.
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Old Saaber 8:58PM (4/17/2006)
"nope, it's an A2, even though it totally looks like the A1 in the front and rear ends, compare the profile and the shape of the doors/windows with both old models."
I just spent 20 minutes on eBay and Google images and it sure looks like the earlier Rabbit to me. The rear door window matches exactly. I looked at a lot of Golfs, 1986 on, and couldn't find one 4-door with the same rear window profile, especially at the bottom rearmost corner. I'm not pretending to know though, just what it looks like to me.
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jon 9:02PM (4/17/2006)
citi golf? I was wabbit hunting
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Doug Blythe 9:04PM (4/17/2006)
My 21 year old daughter hit a wall with her VW Golf. The EMTs wouldn't let her "walk away" but her Golf did protect her from any serious injury. Thank you.
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Jellodyne 9:18PM (4/17/2006)
They should bring us the Polo and call that tne new Rabbit -- seems more in the spirit of the old Rabbit
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