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Volkswagen Golf Cabrio 1979

The 1979 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet marked a significant milestone in the history of compact convertible cars. Unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show in February 1979, this model was produced in collaboration with Karmann and signified the end of the Beetle Cabriolet's production. With its sleek design and innovative features, the Golf Cabriolet quickly captured the European market. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

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Volkswagen Golf Cabrio 1979
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History

The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show in February 1979, succeeding the Beetle Cabriolet. Production began in June 1979, initially alongside the Beetle Cabriolet, with the last unit assembled by Karmann in Osnabrück in January 1980. This model was the first in its class to feature a fixed roll bar, providing enhanced protection for occupants. A total of 388,522 units of the first-generation Golf Cabriolet were produced, surpassing the Beetle Cabriolet and becoming the most successful convertible of its time. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

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Anecdotes

The 1979 Golf Cabriolet was the first in its class to feature a fixed roll bar, providing enhanced protection for occupants. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Production

A total of 388,522 units of the first-generation Golf Cabriolet were produced, surpassing the Beetle Cabriolet and becoming the most successful convertible of its time. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Press reception

The 1979 Golf Cabriolet was well-received by the automotive press, praised for its sleek design and innovative features. It quickly captured the European market, becoming an iconic model of its time. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Evolution

Following the success of the first-generation Golf Cabriolet, Volkswagen continued to develop this model. In 1993, the second-generation Golf Cabriolet was launched, offering significant safety improvements, including airbags for the driver and passenger, as well as ABS. This model was produced until 2001, with a total of 600,585 units manufactured. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Variants

The 1979 Golf Cabriolet was available in several versions, including the GLS equipped with a 1.5-liter engine producing 70 horsepower and the GLi featuring a 1.6-liter engine delivering 110 horsepower. These engines provided varied performance to cater to driver preferences. (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

References

Understanding the name

At Volkswagen, each part of the name carries information: family, power level, energy. Several of those rules changed along the way.

Decode a Volkswagen name