Designed by the prolific Italian...

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ben_Vorster]Ben Vorster

Designed by the prolific Italian - Giorgetto Giugiaro and introduced in 1974, the Golf was the successor to the de-facto family car, the Beetle. This front-wheel drive, water cooled hatchback, with the help of Audi and various other German car manufacturers, helped revive Volkswagens ailing profits in the early 1970's. Japanese cars, made cheaply had entered the market and were gaining ground. The rabbit, however, was introduced at a similar price and when oil prices rose dramatically, its popularity shot up.

Available in 2 and 4 door variants, as well as a range of engine sizes (both petrol and diesel) the Rabbit became popular very quickly. The Golf GTI which featured a 1.8 litre fuel injected motor and sportier stylng and trim was the car that gave birth the the "hot hatch" genre.

Mechanically very simple, the Rabbit was and still is a very reliable small car. In South Africa, the Rabbit is still manufactured and is available with trim and styling that is featured in Volkswagens other small cars. For those that love Rabbits, buying one and getting its associated parts is not very easy (unless you live in South Africa where they are everywhere), but thanks to a thriving community its not impossible. Sites like [http://www.easybargainhunter.com/vw-rabbit]this one feature a bunch of cars, parts and literature. A culture of modding exists the world over and rebuilds, engine swaps, forced induction (turbo and super chargers), custom spray jobs and chasis modifications are common.

The little Rabbit has been revised 5 times over the past couple of decades and is now in its 5th incarnation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Vorster [http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Rabbit-A1-(Golf-MK1)&id=1250586 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Rabbit-A1-(Golf-MK1)&id=1250586

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