1975 Volkswagen Golf
First generation (Mk1) · Mk1 / US 'Rabbit' 1975–1984
The Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled front-wheel-drive hatchback that replaced the Beetle and reset Volkswagen's lineup. Sold in the US as the 'Rabbit'. The 1976 European GTI effectively created the hot-hatch segment. // Source: Wikipedia "Volkswagen Golf Mk1" — US Rabbit final MY1984.
Photo: “1975 Volkswagen Golf 1.1 L (52900734935)” by Kieran White from Manchester, England / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1975 model year
Overview
Volkswagen introduced the front-wheel-drive Golf to North America for 1975 under the name 'Rabbit'. Giorgetto Giugiaro's crisp two-box hatchback replaced the air-cooled, rear-engined Beetle with a modern water-cooled, front-engined layout, dragging Volkswagen's lineup into the modern era. US-market cars were soon built in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania. // Source: Wikipedia "Volkswagen Golf Mk1" — US Rabbit launched MY1975; Westmoreland PA production began 1978.
Specifications
- Body styles
- Hatchback
Year over year
What changed
- North American launch of the Golf, sold as the 'Rabbit'.
- Front-wheel-drive, water-cooled hatchback replacing the Beetle's layout.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- An early water-cooled VW; rust and the condition of the early fuel-injection systems are the main survivor concerns.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The car that succeeded the Beetle as Volkswagen's core model.
Sources
Other First generation (Mk1) years
Explore the Mk1 / US 'Rabbit' generation → All First generation (Mk1) · Mk1 / US 'Rabbit' years →