Golf

Volkswagen Golf Details

Volkswagen started producing the Golf in model year 1975; however, the U.S. spec cars were badged as Rabbits until model year 1985. Starting in model year 1985, the Golf officially hit the U.S. market, built on the A2 chassis (shared by the Mk2 Jetta and the Corrado), and this is commonly referred to as the Mk2 Golf. The base A2 Golf was offered with a 1.8 liter 8 valve gasoline engine or one of two 1.9 liter diesel engines (either turbo charged or normally aspirated). The A2 Golf GTI was available initially only with a gasoline 1.8 liter 8 valve engine (with slightly increased power over the base 1.8 8 valve engine), but a short time later the 16 valve 1.8 liter was offered. Toward the end of the A2 Golf production run, the GTI could be had with a monster 2.0 liter version of the 16 valve motor. Just like the Rabbit GTI, the A2 Golf GTI was only available with a close ratio 5 speed transmission with light limited slip differential (minislip).

Do not mistake the 1985 through 1993 Cabriolet for being a convertible version of the A2 Golf. It was not based on the A2 chassis at all; rather, it was based on the A1 chassis (shared by the Rabbit, Mk1 Jetta, Mk1 Scirocco, and Mk2 Scirocco) and was effectively still a Rabbit convertible.

The engine management systems used with gasoline versions of the A2 Golfs included CIS-e (or KE-Jetronic, a knock sensor equipped version of CIS or K-Jetronic, and used on the earlier 1.8 8 valve motors as well as all the 1.8 16 valve motors), Motronic (used on the 2.0 16 valve motors), and Digifant (used on the later 1.8 8 valve motors).

Starting in model year 1993 (through mid-model year 1999), the Golf was built on the A3 chassis, and is commonly referred to as the Mk3 Golf. Engine options for the U.S. A3 Golf were the 1.9 liter turbo diesel, the 2.0 liter 8 valve (engine code ABA, early versions used piston oil squirters and forged internals, later versions do not), and the 2.8 liter narrow angle V6 (VR6). The VR6 was only offered in the GTI version of the Golf, but only as an option - base A3 Golf GTIs used the same 2.0 liter 8 valve as the base Golf. Once again, GTIs came with light limited slip differentials.

Starting mid-way through model year 1999 (through model year 2004), the Golf was built on the A4 chassis. This generation is referred to as the Mk4 Golf. Engine options were similar to the A3 Golf, except the new 20 valve 1.8 liter turbo gasoline motor joined the lineup (available in GLS and GTI trim levels).

Starting in model year 2005, the A5 chassis was used, however, for model year 2007 the Golf will no longer be offered. Instead, the A5 Golf gets rebadged as the Rabbit. (edit this text)