Discussion
Many moons back in 1977 I bought my first Golf. A dark shade of green - not metallic - Webasto sunroof, 1500cc, 1975 registered, and absolutely basic even down to having rubber mats and no carpets. Coming from a company car (Marinas) though and buying my own it was a revelation. But despite looking for ages I have never ever seen another one. So, I ask the PH massive, was it one of the first Golfs sold cheaply to entice we Brits to buy? Can someone tell me more about it please?
Whilst I'm sure that someone with a much longer VW beard than me will be along, as I recall, the Mk1 Golf logic went:
Golf (N) - very basic, smallest engine. Single dial dash.
L - less basic (carpets etc), smallest engine
S - Golf N with the biggest engine
LS - L with the biggest engine
GL - higher spec than L, smallest engine
GLS - GL spec, biggest engine.
The 'S' was dropped fairly early on - I don't recall whether it was replaced by the LS, or ran concurrently.
What constituted 'biggest engine' shifted around - generally it was 1500, and the smaller 1100, but there were 1300s later.
My first car was a 1981 LS, with a 1300 engine. But it had a rev counter. And that was the main thing!
Golf (N) - very basic, smallest engine. Single dial dash.
L - less basic (carpets etc), smallest engine
S - Golf N with the biggest engine
LS - L with the biggest engine
GL - higher spec than L, smallest engine
GLS - GL spec, biggest engine.
The 'S' was dropped fairly early on - I don't recall whether it was replaced by the LS, or ran concurrently.
What constituted 'biggest engine' shifted around - generally it was 1500, and the smaller 1100, but there were 1300s later.
My first car was a 1981 LS, with a 1300 engine. But it had a rev counter. And that was the main thing!
Carfield said:
Whilst I'm sure that someone with a much longer VW beard than me will be along, as I recall, the Mk1 Golf logic went:
Golf (N) - very basic, smallest engine. Single dial dash.
L - less basic (carpets etc), smallest engine
S - Golf N with the biggest engine
LS - L with the biggest engine
GL - higher spec than L, smallest engine
GLS - GL spec, biggest engine.
The 'S' was dropped fairly early on - I don't recall whether it was replaced by the LS, or ran concurrently.
What constituted 'biggest engine' shifted around - generally it was 1500, and the smaller 1100, but there were 1300s later.
My first car was a 1981 LS, with a 1300 engine. But it had a rev counter. And that was the main thing!
My mum had a 1976/7 (R reg) Golf GLS automatic, which was 1588cc. Nice trim, thick carpets etc and a rev counter in the classic "Madonna" instrument pod. The lacquer peeled and it rusted probably more than any car I've ever seen, but it went quite well.Golf (N) - very basic, smallest engine. Single dial dash.
L - less basic (carpets etc), smallest engine
S - Golf N with the biggest engine
LS - L with the biggest engine
GL - higher spec than L, smallest engine
GLS - GL spec, biggest engine.
The 'S' was dropped fairly early on - I don't recall whether it was replaced by the LS, or ran concurrently.
What constituted 'biggest engine' shifted around - generally it was 1500, and the smaller 1100, but there were 1300s later.
My first car was a 1981 LS, with a 1300 engine. But it had a rev counter. And that was the main thing!
Thanks PHers for the information. I had the 1588 engine a couple of years later in the Jetta GLi, itself a fairly rare model I bought from Castles of Leicester brand new. A GTi with a boot, and what a huge boot. Later in 1990 a 16V GTi too. The S though had the earlier 1500cc lump. SWMBO had an LS which was far more luxurious than the S and from memory we bought that new in 1980. It seems that only one Jetta GLi has survived.
I should know the answer to this as from 1978 to 1985 I was Sales Manager at two VW/Audi dealerships, unfortunately it's all too long ago though. I do remember however, registering for myself one of the very first Golf GTi s to come into the UK, Mars Red, steel wheels, single headlights and four speed box, it was really a revelation and how I enjoyed it, you could three wheel it remarkably easily! Unfortunately such was demand that it got sold fairly quickly so I followed it with - a Jetta GLi would you believe! I thought it was a nicer car than the golf, the interior was much better and I always thought it handled just a bit better. I fancied a 16v when they came along but by then I was running an Audi 80 CD, they were really nice! Memories!
soxboy said:
Carfield said:
My first car was a 1981 LS, with a 1300 engine. But it had a rev counter. And that was the main thing!
Great choice, exactly the same model was my first car too.
And the trim was pretty plush, but it did feel rather slow. Then again it was a replacement for the 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection I had to sell to go towards the deposit on my 1st house.
Mr Tidy said:
I bought a 1980 1300 GLS in 1985 that handled really well - on a wet roundabout you get get the rear to slide a bit.
And the trim was pretty plush, but it did feel rather slow. Then again it was a replacement for the 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection I had to sell to go towards the deposit on my 1st house.
Mine was quite nippy as it turned out the carb had been replaced (apparently common as standard one unreliable) with a Weber 34. I only found this out when the throttle cable snapped and I had to fabricate a new one, which ended up being quite often. The Golf embarrassed a friend's MGB on the Snake Pass, albeit most of the horses on his had long fled the stable.And the trim was pretty plush, but it did feel rather slow. Then again it was a replacement for the 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection I had to sell to go towards the deposit on my 1st house.
I had both a Jetta GLi in Mars red on an X plate, and a LHD 1977 Golf GTi (R registration) in black. Both in the mid 80's.
In a fit of nostalgia, I bought a 1980 V plate GTi with a shagged engine and sadly more rust than I thought. The body was rebuilt with new panels and I fitted later Mark 1 front arch liners to stop it decaying again. For an engine, I bought a Mark 1 Scirocco Storm with every panel bubbling for £150, drove it back from near Frome up to Oxford. It went like a train and had that lovely leather interior. The engine, gearbox, wheels and interior were removed, the shell filled with scrap and weighed in.
I did my apprenticeship with a VAG dealer around 1984 - they were the halcyon days for VAG imo.
In a fit of nostalgia, I bought a 1980 V plate GTi with a shagged engine and sadly more rust than I thought. The body was rebuilt with new panels and I fitted later Mark 1 front arch liners to stop it decaying again. For an engine, I bought a Mark 1 Scirocco Storm with every panel bubbling for £150, drove it back from near Frome up to Oxford. It went like a train and had that lovely leather interior. The engine, gearbox, wheels and interior were removed, the shell filled with scrap and weighed in.
I did my apprenticeship with a VAG dealer around 1984 - they were the halcyon days for VAG imo.
Mike-tf3n0 said:
I should know the answer to this as from 1978 to 1985 I was Sales Manager at two VW/Audi dealerships, unfortunately it's all too long ago though. I do remember however, registering for myself one of the very first Golf GTi s to come into the UK, Mars Red, steel wheels, single headlights and four speed box, it was really a revelation and how I enjoyed it, you could three wheel it remarkably easily! Unfortunately such was demand that it got sold fairly quickly so I followed it with - a Jetta GLi would you believe! I thought it was a nicer car than the golf, the interior was much better and I always thought it handled just a bit better. I fancied a 16v when they came along but by then I was running an Audi 80 CD, they were really nice! Memories!
I had a '79: MGV808V (which I know was not its original number). Black, steel wheels, small bumpers and the pointy "Madonna bra" style instruments.Last MoT'd in 2017, it seems.
I had a 76 Mk1 Polo which was also similar in having nothing in it.
I think the philosophy of Volkswagen at the time was still very much the peoples car, everything that was frivolous was removed, cheap motoring for the masses with nothing given that wasn't strictly needed for getting you down the road. They were replacing the Beetle, Beetle buyers wanted no frills cheap motoring
The modern equivalent would be Dacia
I think the philosophy of Volkswagen at the time was still very much the peoples car, everything that was frivolous was removed, cheap motoring for the masses with nothing given that wasn't strictly needed for getting you down the road. They were replacing the Beetle, Beetle buyers wanted no frills cheap motoring
The modern equivalent would be Dacia
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