Officially Official: VW changes Rabbit back to Golf
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Mar 31st 2009 at 8:29AM 
Volkswagen Golf VI – Click above for high-res image gallery
Anyone itching to bring home a brand new Volkswagen Rabbit had better act fast. As expected, VeeDub has just confirmed that 2009 will be the last year that the American version of the automaker's popular hatchback will be called the Rabbit. The renamed 2010 Golf will be shown at next month's New York Auto Show in production form with an expected sale date here in the States sometime this fall.
Says Mark Barnes, COO, Volkswagen of America, "The Golf is an iconic nameplate for the Volkswagen Brand and it is known throughout the world. The Golf is Volkswagen's best selling global nameplate with more than 26 million units sold in over 120 countries. Making the change back to Golf is an important step in realigning with our global heritage."
We couldn't agree more, which is why we were all left scratching our heads back in 2006 when the German automaker chose to reintroduce the Rabbit name in America for the fifth-gen Golf in the first place. Oh well, that was a mistake that the automaker can easily rectify. Read the official press release after the break.
Gallery: Volkswagen Golf VI
[Source: Volkswagen]
PRESS RELEASE:
VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES RETURN OF GOLF NAMEPLATE FOR U.S. MARKET
HERNDON, VA - Volkswagen of America, Inc. welcomes back the Golf nameplate with the arrival of the sixth generation Golf.
"The Golf is an iconic nameplate for the Volkswagen Brand and it is known throughout the world," said Mark Barnes, COO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "The Golf is Volkswagen's best selling global nameplate with more than 26 million units sold in over 120 countries."
"Making the change back to Golf is an important step in realigning with our global heritage" Barnes added.
The new Golf had its world unveil at the Geneva Motor Show in February. The sixth generation Golf has been significantly redesigned and demonstrates Volkswagen's product strategy to refine the brand in all model lines. The Golf will have its U.S. debut at the 2009 New York International Auto Show. The Golf will go on sale in the fall of 2009.
Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GLI, Eos, Passat, Passat wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
the_MVP_X 8:34AM (3/31/2009)
Why the hell did they change it's name in the first place?To make it more appealing to the ladies that already have a ...rabbit....?
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Noidor 9:28AM (3/31/2009)
That's what happens when stupid marketing people in their mid 20's run out of ideas...they turn to some BS move. Calling Golf a Rabbit in US was so dumb...devalued the model, hurt the brand. Just plain retardation...I don't like 80% of marketing people...
Frank 10:00AM (3/31/2009)
The Golf name brand had a reliability problem on the Mk 4 and that is the whole problem with the change up. Marketing people think that the consumer is easily tricked with re-badging and name changes. Iconic name calling benefits people that do not have the time and the education to differentiate between two different vehicles. If you buy the GTI you will no doubt get a better car.
Bman 10:23AM (3/31/2009)
@ Frank
That makes no sense considering the Mk4 Jetta was sold in much larger numbers than the Golf and they didn't change the name Jetta.
James 12:12PM (3/31/2009)
Now that VWoA got their groove back with the new Chattanooga, TN factory...they decided to "kill" the Rabbit moniker (started from the failed VW Westmoreland, PA factory)....probably an ill-omen idea to resurrect the name in the first place.
GOT 9:25AM (4/01/2009)
The Golf-Rabbit is a FAT-PIG!!!
The Polo-hatch should be called the Rabbit as it's practically the same size as the original small and nimble Rabbit. But alas, we don't even get the Polo hatch even after VW says they are bringing the Polo!
Derek 8:46AM (3/31/2009)
I think Rabbit was a much better name for the vehicle, not to mention a way cooler logo. But if I had to guess I'd say some number cruncher showed how they could save money by not having a different name (emblems, marketing materials, etc.).
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Frylock350 8:53AM (3/31/2009)
Boo.
I like the Rabbit name and the commercial with rapidly growing numbers of Rabbits (some with different colored body panels) was hilarious.
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Swede 9:00AM (3/31/2009)
*imagines riding a Rabbit to work*
LOOOOOOL
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the_MVP_X 9:16AM (3/31/2009)
Unless ur a chick this is so wrong.
Swede 9:43AM (3/31/2009)
I'm thinking more how do I saddle and harness a poor white rabbit
Dude 9:04AM (3/31/2009)
Bad move VW. Golf was always a stupid name for a car.
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Ligor 9:05AM (3/31/2009)
huh
who cares
it's ugly any way you name it, adn likely to catch on flames just sitting in the parking lot
ok that was mean, but VW just spend all that money to get the rabbit name out (made the car even more gayish) and now they go back to the golf (maybe they're getting tiger woods to do commecricals for them now that he left buick)
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Autblogist! 9:06AM (3/31/2009)
I liked both, but I can understand the change. Rabbit was kinda of childish and optioned out those came in at $30K(GTI) which is not really "my first car" territory.
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garlinski 9:06AM (3/31/2009)
Quick... head down to your local dealer and buy your Rabbit emblem now to put on your future Golf
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Dane 2:49PM (3/31/2009)
Glad to hear it Volkswagen..... I was in the market for a car when the 'Rabbit' came out... I thought the name change was so stupid(memories of the 70's came up) I went to another brand....
Little things mean a lot.....
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Sofa King Fast! 9:14AM (3/31/2009)
I remember driving the first generation rabbits around on woods roads and laughing at how tough they were for a small car.
I always thought the "Golf" name was stupid.
Marketing is stupid. I bet they spent a million dollars researching this decision.
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Pat 9:16AM (3/31/2009)
they should make the Rabbit a trim level on the Golf!
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pickles 9:17AM (3/31/2009)
Good. Though they've diluted it recently (Routan, Toureg, Tiguan) I always thought it was a rare bit of poetry in the auto world, that VW chose to name cars after different kinds of winds (Scirocco, Passat, Bora, Jetta). To me the Golf restores that tiny nugget of interest in these machines.
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Ian 9:20AM (3/31/2009)
Rumor has it that the Polo here will be called the Rabbit. They're just making the Golf the Golf and the smaller, cheaper Polo a Rabbit.
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