06 November 2009 - 11:00
Are you still here?
Ladies and gentlemen, raise your glasses to the VW MkI Golf, which has finally ceased production after... 35 years.
Now, we know what you're thinking. You're thinking that we've had quite a few Golfs since the MkI. Five, approximately, and therefore TopGear.com is rather late in toasting the death of the original Golf.
But you're wrong. Since 1984, the MkI Golf has been continuously built at VW's Port Elizabeth factory in South Africa as the CitiGolf, with more than half a million cars exported to developing countries at a cost, in today's rates, of around £7,000.
But this autumn, finally, VW decided to cease production of the MkI in South Africa.
Safety, unsurprisingly, was a factor in the decision: you'll recall that a handful of safety features have reached most production cars since 1974. Like, er, crash protection. And airbags. (Airbags, admittedly, did make it to the CitiGolf... but not until 2008.)
So, after more than a third of a century, that's it: the MkI Golf is dead. Roll on the MkII. Oh...
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About time they did that...god, I've always hated that car...
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ahem,who exactly buys something thats THAT old?must be tribal people or something.hah,imagine masai mara tribesmen going about in one of these..
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£7k for a Mk.1 Golf? I'm assuming they added ever so slightly more than airbags over 35 years. I was going to say new engines, but that hot version is a 1.8, much like the original Golf GTI (though there was also a 1.6). As it's right hand drive, you could import what's basically a safer and slightly more modernly-interiored Mk.1 GTI into the UK - although it'l have to be 2nd hand now of course - for around half the price.
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Wait, it's only 25 years. The Citi Golf was first produced in 1984. It's 31 years if you include the normal VW Golf 1 in that as well. And airbuggy, sensitive people are going to think that's a little racist.
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Goodbye old Bean, I love that shape of Golf, and would love to own an original Gti
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Halleluija! Altough this news comes 35 year TOO LATE. Golf has been killing joy out of driving for - suprise suprise - exactly 35 years. I got cardboard box that has better styling.
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@airbuggy: Porsche people. Unless they buy the Cayenne or something else that is not a Porsche at all.
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i never liked the golf, the mk1s problem was the ital design styling which was too boxy. the peugeot 205gti of the same time was a far better looking car and much better to drive at least it was a rally car. and old peugeots have been built in africa for some time the 70's 504 went out of production a few years ago the 505 and 405 i think are still made somewhere too
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Note to everyone above AND to the entire Top Gear editorial team: Before you slag off a vehicle for being produced for so long, do yourself a favour and get your backsides into the drivers seat of any South African built CitiGolf and take it for a drive along any mountain pass in South Africa. Only then are you qualified to make ANY statement about this car in its final incarnation.
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The final model had dashboard and engines from Polo, updated suspension with many components shared with Polo and improved styling, reliability and safety (ABS on certain models and airbags).
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What kept it selling for so many years? The driving thrill this car gives you coupled with the seriously cheap ownership costs. It literally feels like you're driving a go-car, but on a shoe-string budget! Boy does this car put a smile on your face around corners and between traffic lights! I'll take a wager with any Top Gear staff member that once the Stig, Jeremy, Richard and even James have taken one around the Top Gear track none of them will want to give it back...!
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See the following web links to properly inform yourselves: http://steves.co.za/Road tests/VW-Citi-Golf-Citizen-3 .html http://www.wheels24.co.za/Content/RoadTests/Reader_tests/12/3f4d1e51037740b9a1afacf4b2aef123/22-09-2009-07-35/Reader_test_VW_Citi_Golf http://www.wheels24.co.za/Content/News/4/0ed3e40a2bcf4f0382bdd36c3ac1373d/21-09-2006-07-42/VW_to_launch_90kW_Citi_Golf_
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£7000 for something that old is a lot
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@airbuggy, isnt it hilarious being racist? Answer: Not really its just racist.
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the mk1 has only just stopped being made? did they just forget to decommision it? what I can't understand, is why Aston stopped making the Vanquish in 2007. i just don't get y! Iove the Vanquish!
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You'd be surprised... Yes, it was old. Yes, it was...slightly dangerous. And yes, it was still a Golf MK1. But it was a formula that sold. More than 500 000 units from when it was released as the Citi Golf to now. And they were fantastic little cars. It was perfect for the market. You still see plenty of them on the road because they were so durable. Easy to maintain, one of the cheapest GOOD (those stupid little Chinese cars are ridiculous) cars here in SA (It was almost everyone's first car) and it worked. 500 000 cars says so. And it was the best selling car every month for 6 straight months in 2007. Obviously, it wouldn't work in the UK today because everyone there goes through about a billion cars a year. If it wasn't a good car that sold like hotcakes, VW would've stopped making it years ago.
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And the Citi Golf was an South African a car as you could get. @airbuggy: The Masai Mara isn't even in the borders of South Africa! You're being pathetic. If it's old and it works, no reason not to use it.
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Well, i really don't vare, because Golf is something i really don't notice. ever. Even todays GTI, completely unnoticable car, good, but i wouldn't drive one even if i got it for free. i'd rather drive a Chevrolet Aveo, don't know why, but that's how Golf makes me feel.
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Well, i really don't vare, because Golf is something i really don't notice. ever. Even todays GTI, completely unnoticable car, good, but i wouldn't drive one even if i got it for free. i'd rather drive a Chevrolet Aveo, don't know why, but that's how Golf makes me feel.
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I was in South Africa during the summer and I remember seeing these old style golfs that looked brand new and I thought it was a bit strange, but now it makes sense.
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Goodness me, 35 years? Wow, car manufacturers like to make history, I never knew such types of the Golf ever existed, only one, but I suppose I was wrong. I haven't heard from the Fox, however.
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So who out there has the newest oldest Golf?
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Man, what gives? While we are on the subject, why don't we kill off the Lotus 7 and the AC Ace for being new "old" cars? I am pretty sure those cars aren't exactly safe vehicles to drive around. Also, to the best of my knowledge, there is a factory in southeast Asia that still makes the Willys CJ-3B. Why don't they just kill that off, too?
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The photo is not accurate. The GTi original did NOT have those spot lights. I believe that I was the first person to get the grill out and place 2 upside down spots. The registration was WJD 7 S and it was a left hooker bought in the UK as duty free export - I was living in Greece at the time. Running in soon passed on that journey and I discovered the bloody thing could blow away Rover Coupe V8 in third gear which registered 90mph on the clock - hilarious - great loved it and still think of it fondly.
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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TOPGEAR... Let Jeremy test drive the one in the pic, that's the 1.8R, believe me, it's a MASTERPIECE!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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To Robinstp - That photo is VERY accurate. That is a 2008 model, not some old restored golf. And, no, believe me, you were NOT the first person to do the double headlights, especially if you are not originally from South Africa.
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@DaViega - Clearly you must be either a Ford or maybe peugeot fan - Golf was ALWAYS on top in regards to handling!
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@ HermannKratz - AMEN brother! At long last someone that KNOWS this car. Hammond, when you were in SA with the SLR, you should've taken a drive in of these, seriously!
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I have driven and owned several versions of this shape. The Citi Golf models I drove was the 1.8 sport (1991), 1.6 sport(1988), 1.3 (1997), 1.4i .com(.com is the model name for the uneducated) (2002). These little cars had so many new features in them that the old MK1 did not have. The seats evolved into bucket styled seats. They were fitted with decent audio systems, new suspension, fuel injection! They are awesome little cars. I remember one night pulling up to the lights with my 1.4i .com. A guy in his 1.6 Renault Cleo pulled up next to me and the race was on. That little golf dropped the Cleo in it's wake. Awesome to drive. Easily the most fun I have ever had in a car!
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Oh Come on! Any one who doesnt LOVE the golf doesnt realise the character behind it, and that it is a part of our culture. Something old can still Rock! Specially if it was your first car like it was for so many of us. Its Economy and Freedom and Speed and will be sorely missed! I dropped (raced and won) more people in my 1.4 than I did in any or my cars since.
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How come, then, that I was in South Africa at the weekend and they were still making them? There are tons of them over there, and you can see why - cheap, rugged, good economy, fun to drive, and good looking! Here's to the Golf MkI - you have done the world a fantastic service for 35 years!
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what? yh i though they stopped the production ages ago, but i never knew about the plant and south africa, lol... and anyway golf is a golf so it was quite a car and the death of even the old one is sad cuz it was the original and cooler the next ones after it. long live the mk1!
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Thank goodness its gone.. yes it was everyones first student car etc but wow what a bad car never stops rusting... and the only thing that made it realible was not that it just kept going but that it cost next to nothing to fix and any backyard machanic could fix it... but thats not why i didnt like it it was that every teenage kid that got one thought they were driving a Ferrari ... and would kit it out with a huge cone filter branches free flow etc to make it faster which would make a 1.4i keep up with a 1.6i just buy a freaking 1.6 LOL... you would here this noise coming from a mile away with car sounding like its just about to blow and get passed at a ridicously slow speed... The only time this car was ever good or exciting was when those men at VW Racing fitted 2.0 Polo Motors with turbos to them. byebyer and good ridense
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Remember the legendary Golf GTS? Now you can own a brand new Citi GTS based on the original. With retro styling, lowered sports suspension and 15" alloy rims coated in sleek gunmetal grey, you?ll be living the legend in the Citi GTS. The return of this classic car to the Citi range will have you standing out from the crowd. http://sakerfourwaysvw.ix.co.za/CitiGTSLindsaySakerFourways_10432.aspx
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The first golf was the benchmark of all of the later Golf GTI's and R's. This car gave the birth to the GTi and the R's.
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I am from SA they are/were quite a hit you must remember we are a country obsessed with anything made in Germany. Last month alone it became the top seller pass Toyota that is big deal. In reality its fun to drive esp. at that price deadly I know but fun still. Then again that is strange coming from people in UK your country does not change shapes at all, mini is one good example of that. Love the LRD4 in reality nothing has changed has it. Zwaka eSA uzobona
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badhosli commented on this article
06 November 2009
nice. the one on the picture is even an "R" version..
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