In South Africa, VW Citi Golf gets rated R
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A little over a year ago, we posted about South Africa's Citi Golf line, which combines classic, old-school looks with a more modern interior. Now comes word that the "R" badge has found its way onto a very limited run of 100 cars that is sure to get the VW faithful salivating. The VW Citi Golf R-Line gets Mk1 GTI-style looks and a 1.8-liter, 121-horsepower engine underhood. It will make the run to 62 mph in around 8.5 seconds, and tops out at just under 120 mph.
In the looks department, that still-good-looking face sees a red border added to the grillework, red brake calipers, attractive 15" wheels, and very subdued spoilers fore and aft. The aforementioned R badging is present on the right side of the grille and on the back of the car. Inside, it looks like the other Citi Golfs, with the golf-ball shift knob, split spoke steering wheel, and a modern gauge cluster. There's no power steering, and A/C is not standard (it can be dealer-installed), but a CD/MP3 player is part of the package. The trick-looking R is already sold out, but a standard-issue 1.8i model will arrive in South Africa later in the year. Sure, it's an old design, with limited amenities and not much in the realm of safety features, but we'd gladly pony up for one tomorrow if we had the opportunity. Some things are just plain cool, and the Citi Golf R-Line is one of them.
[Sources: Motoring.co.za via German Car Blog, Autoblog Spanish]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kaveh 7:42PM (6/26/2008)
wow, that still looks good, and it probably only weights a ton, so mpg must be way over 30 mpg.
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Duane 7:20AM (12/04/2008)
I own one of those babies. Just love it.
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Bill 12:20PM (4/23/2007)
This is what a real Rabbit looks like, not that porky thing we get.
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Ricardo de Sousa 12:28PM (4/23/2007)
looks nice!
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C\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'est Raoul 1:12PM (4/23/2007)
I'd love one!
So much character than the current one.
That'd be better than the new beetle: the old rabbit!
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jeffinToronto 1:12PM (4/23/2007)
"We would pony up the money if we could get one..." - sure you would. Easy to say (like how much you would your friend if you won the lottery) but realistically, you wouldn't. Why buy a "new" old car that can have it wheels blown off of it my most econoboxes now-a-days? Sure, if it is a Jaguar D-Type or a Porsche Spider, but going back to a Rabbit that now produces 121 BHP??? Try explaing to your friends why the Mazda and Hyundai just blew you away.
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C\\\'est Raoul 1:14PM (4/23/2007)
It should have the 1.8T (or 2.0T), to be a GTI.
That would be to so nice. Brand new out of the box (not need to build your own from a restored rust bucket.)
Please!!!!!!
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mk 1:24PM (4/23/2007)
This car looks better than the new rabbit, I will agree there, in a way that a 20-30 year old pristine car looks cool. Kinda odd to think that it is new.
It would never pass current new car crash standards. NO CHANCE. Which is kind of too bad.
Put the 1.8T in that car, and a limited slip diff, with slightly wider yet tires, and then you might have a real budget hot-hatch rocket.
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Atomicbri 1:20PM (4/23/2007)
I think the next Golf needs to be boxier like this... I like it...always have, but buying an old one that is "new" not sure about that.
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Lekker_bok 1:21PM (4/23/2007)
Is this in the standard equipment?
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9812/11/flame.thrower.car/
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chairman 1:49PM (4/23/2007)
Talk about a kick in the nads- I so so want one. Who cares if it could get dropped by a Hyundai- it looks cool. As for the whole safety issue, I'd just install a rally-worthy roll cage.
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farmerinparadise 2:41PM (4/23/2007)
When I flew into Johannesburg 20 odd years ago on a regular basis; the repeat joke from our Captain include: "Welcome to South Africa blah blah blah - and remember to reset your wristwatch time back by 20 years".
It figures. I do like the rally roll-cage thing though!
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Dion 3:10PM (4/23/2007)
living in ZA with the Golf1 since I can remember, most of us locals wish VWSA would discontinue the car.
of course I could never get to a proper answer why US and European VW fanatics didnt import. Sure in $ terms it might not be cheap, but hell it is a helleva lot better than trying to restore one. In sterling I think it should be a bargain. Consider the car has been in production here for decades, there is no such thing as a factory fault. . . ;-)
The 1.8i will still give many a small car a good wipping with its low mass.
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Yogotta B. Kidding 3:19PM (4/23/2007)
farmerinparadise; of course you're only half right, of course ZA is still the only place where you can have a set of carbon fiber wheels made for your motorcycle. Does that mean nobody wants to make them carbon wheels?
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Don 4:51PM (4/23/2007)
Easily the best looking Rabbit ever!
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Bob 10:03PM (4/23/2007)
not very stylish... the rabbit style is not bad.
http://mininova.wordpress.com
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Dandy 8:36AM (4/24/2007)
I love the idea, though I'm not much of a VW fan.
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sahil 4:37AM (5/08/2007)
Hi. I live in SA and have owned 2 "rabbits" as you refer to them. 1st was a 1.6L carburettor 1998 model golf 1. Reading the article of last year, u make a mistake of saying the chassis is same as the mk2. its not, its more an upgraded mk1 chassis. there is stil no rigidity although the handling is comparable to my brothers 2004 G4 TDi with ABS, EBD, etc. braces are available aftermarket to deal with the engine bay stability, see www.autostyle.co.za.
Further, i have recently sold my old baby and bought a brand new one outta the box. Its a 2007 Velociti 1.6i. 74kW (approx 100bhp) of power and 0-100kph in 9.4 seconds. weight is 940kg (abt 1400lbs). i had my name on the waiting list for the R-type since nov last year, but got impatient and bought the velociti.
i'm sad to hear on this blog that only 100 were made. will have to keep my eyes open for a 2nd hand one. the reason for the delay of the R-type was that the braking was useless. They tried the velociti brakes (NO abs, vented discs at front and drums at rear). eventually rumour at the VW dealership was that they would transplant the ABS system from the golf5 or polo.
for those not in the know, we have had every generation and model of GOLF ever made, except the 2 door varieties of the GTi's and TDi's.
in short nothing compares to a rabbit. although safety has gone out the window, the fun is unbelievable. i dice mercs and beemers in city traffic, they off course are huge and have kak acceleration.
Take it from someone that lives here, these cars are magnificent.
sadly i want my next car to be the Golf 5 GTi, else i'm happy with my VeloCiti
lekker
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uddah AKA porky924s 1:21PM (5/02/2007)
Like the car good looking too. The extras body bits are a pleasent supprise.
125Bhp Not even worth considering; put a little excitetment and flame with a 160bhp engine then it's worth considering
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Tebogo 5:54AM (5/07/2007)
Hi
I would like to find out if I can buy a GOlf Deco 1.6 engine from you and how much does it cost new or new used engines
Rgds
Tebogo
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