Golf
April 2nd, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
THIS COMPETITION HAS EXPIRED
This month we feature a selection of new models in the Vanguards 1:43 range. First up is an unusual Ford Transit. This model has been weathered and has unique features – including ‘Kilroy was ere’ and ‘clean me’ finger-writing. More conventional are two original Golf GTi MkIs – a model of the car driven by Richard Lloyd for the 1977 Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship and a standard road car.
As usual with Vanguards models, all three are well detailed and come with a collectors’ card.
Thanks to the good guys at Toymod, the NZ Vanguards distributor, we have one example of the road-going Golf to give away to a lucky reader. Simply answer the following question. Read the rest of this entry »
August 9th, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
While there’s little doubt the VW Golf is a hardy machine, each year thousands of older models get scrapped around the world. For most Golfs it’s a fairly quick, painless death at the greasy hands of the wreckers, however for some it isn’t so simple. These guys in the clip below could have scrapped their diesel Golf when it started showing its age, and the electrics turned to crap, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, they did a fairly tidy job of shortening the wheelbase, bolted on some circular steel tubing and decided to have some fun.
What more could you want in terms of an entertaining ride? Build up a bit of pace, stomp on the brakes and watch as the sky and the ground switch places a few times. It’s very possibly the safest way to totally flip a car without having to answer to the cops or your chiropractor.
Apparently, the builder still has a few tweaks to make to the design. But for now enjoy the clip below and don’t try this at home. Read the rest of this entry »
May 20th, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
The last several years have spelled tough times for the once great Italian design houses like Pininfarina, Bertone and Italdesign. Both Pininfarina and Bertone have required financial bailouts after over extending themselves. By comparison, Italdesign, founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1968, may have found a saviour to keep it above water in the form of Volkswagen AG. VW and the specialist studio have a long working relationship going back to the first generation Scirocco and Golf both of which were designed by Giugiaro. Italdesign has also penned many VW Group concept vehicles for the last thirty years.
Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio are currently the sole owners of the studio, but Volkswagen may be poised to take a majority stake in the Italian company. It’s unknown at this stage if Ital Design will continue doing work for outside clients under VW ownership.
December 18th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
Which one would you rather be in? Ummm¦neither?
November 25th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
Volkswagen AG has announced it will be establishing a new manufacturing unit located in VW’s home state of Lower Saxony, Germany. To make it happen VW have purchased the land, equipment, and machinery formerly owned by Karmann – the once iconic coachbuilder and convertible roof specialists who manufactured the classic Beetle-based Karmann Ghia coupe. Karmann has been in financial difficulty for a while, filing for bankruptcy protection back in April, and struggling since.
Production of a new vehicle at the plant is scheduled to begin in 2011. In the meantime, 200 new employees will be required to open the plant next year, and VW is estimating more than 1,000 new jobs will be created by 2014. Volkswagen AG has not disclosed which model will be built at the plant but early speculation is that a new Golf cabriolet may be in the works.
November 24th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
Volkswagen has ended production of the Golf Mk I model in South Africa and announced that a limited edition of 1,000 Citi Mk1′s (based on the Golf I) will be made as a commemorative series.
The Golf I was introduced in South Africa in 1978. In 1984 the Citi model, based on the Golf Mk I, went into production at VW’s plant in Uitenhage as an entry-level vehicle slotted beneath the subsequent generations of the ever-growing Golf model. 377,484 Citi’s have been produced in South Africa over the last 5 years.
The limited edition Citi Mk1 will be fitted with a 1.6 litre petrol/gasoline engine with 74kW/100 hp. It will come in only two colors, black and shadow blue metallic. Each unit will carry its series number on the dashboard and on the Mk1 logo on the exterior. The Citi Mk1 will sell for R113,500 (10,280 euros).
It has been strongly rumored that the Citi will be replaced by the 2009 VW Golf – a model Volkswagen produces in Brazil.
November 5th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
The original Volkswagen Golf Mk1 arrived as a replacement to the Volkswagen Beetle way back in 1974. The front-wheel-drive hatchback had a transverse-mounted (water-cooled) 1.5-liter four-cylinder good for just 70 horsepower. While the standard Mk1 Golf offered little in the way of performance, the Mk1 “GTI” kicked off the hot-hatch movement with its 90-horsepower 1.8-litre four-cylinder, slick manual transmission, and upgraded suspension.
In 1984, Volkswagen introduced the Golf Mk2. It was bigger, wider, and more expensive than the original and VW were worried some customers may have been turned-off by the upgrades so it chose to continue the Mk1 production and sell it as the low-cost Econo Golf, or CitiGolf.
Over the past 25 years, more than 500,000 units of the Mk1 Golf have rolled out of a South African assembly plant for sale in markets abroad. Different variations have been fitted with a wide range of engine choices (both gasoline and diesel), from 1.1-liters up to 1.8-liters of displacement. Transmissions have included 4- and 5-speed manuals, plus the 3-speed automatic. Missing most of today’s necessary safety equipment time has finally caught up with the CitiGolf this year and the South African plant has now shut its doors for good.
