| Designed by the prolific Italian - Giorgetto Giugiaro and | | | | Mechanically very simple, the Rabbit was and still is a |
| introduced in 1974, the Golf was the successor to the | | | | very reliable small car. In South Africa, the Rabbit is still |
| de-facto family car, the Beetle. This front-wheel drive, | | | | manufactured and is available with trim and styling that |
| water cooled hatchback, with the help of Audi and | | | | is featured in Volkswagens other small cars. For those |
| various other German car manufacturers, helped | | | | that love Rabbits, buying one and getting its associated |
| revive Volkswagens ailing profits in the early 1970's. | | | | parts is not very easy (unless you live in South Africa |
| Japanese cars, made cheaply had entered the market | | | | where they are everywhere), but thanks to a thriving |
| and were gaining ground. The rabbit, however, was | | | | community its not impossible. Sites like this one [ |
| introduced at a similar price and when oil prices rose | | | | feature a bunch of cars, parts and literature. A culture |
| dramatically, its popularity shot up. | | | | of modding exists the world over and rebuilds, engine |
| Available in 2 and 4 door variants, as well as a range | | | | swaps, forced induction (turbo and super chargers), |
| of engine sizes (both petrol and diesel) the Rabbit | | | | custom spray jobs and chasis modifications are |
| became popular very quickly. The Golf GTI which | | | | common. |
| featured a 1.8 litre fuel injected motor and sportier | | | | The little Rabbit has been revised 5 times over the |
| stylng and trim was the car that gave birth the the "hot | | | | past couple of decades and is now in its 5th |
| hatch" genre. | | | | incarnation. |