Wolfsburg, Deutschland 1983

The Volkswagen Golf 2 (typ 191/ 19e/ A2) succeeded the first generation (typ 17)
as Volkswagen’s volume seller from 1983 and remained in (German) production until late 1991. In comparison to its predecessor, its wheelbase grew slightly (+ 75 mm), as did exterior dimensions (length + 180 mm, width + 55 mm, height + 5 mm). Weight was up accordingly by about 120 kg. Exterior design, developed in-house by VW design director Schäfer, kept the general lines of its Giugaro-designed predecessor, but was slightly more rounded. All told, about 6.3 million second-generation Golfs were built.

Typ19 History



The second-generation Volkswagen Golf (also known as the Typ 19E until the 1989 model year, or Typ 1G thereafter) was launched in Europe at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1983. It debuted in 1984 in the UK, and it was introduced as a 1985 model in the US. It featured a larger bodyshell, and a wider range of engine options, including a GTD turbodiesel (in Euro markets, later using the 1.6 "umwelt" (ECO) diesel engine), a DOHC1781 cc (1.8) 16-valve version of the straight-four GTI (as well as the tried and tested 1781cc (1.8) 8v GTI), the supercharged 8v G-Lader equipped "G60" with front and four-wheel drive options, and a racing homologated variant of this, the "Rallye Golf". This model was meant to come to the US as well (badges as"Rallye GTI"), and prototypes were made, but it did not come to be.
During the life of the Golf 2, there were a number of external style revisions. Notable changes to the looks of the Golf 2 included the removal of quarterlight windows in the front doors, and the introduction of larger grill slats with the August 1987 facelift. The most notable was the introduction of so called "Big Bumpers", which were introduced in the European market with an August 1989 facelift. They were available in the US from August 1989 as well, as part of the "Wolfsburg Edition" package. They were not standardised until January, 1990.
This Golf was marketed for the first time with that name in the United States and Canada. The Rabbit name used on the Golf1 (typ17) was meant to give a car a cuddly image, but with the eighties redesign of the car, Carl Hahn, the former Volkswagen of America president who was now chairman of the whole company, dictated that Volkswagen model names be standardised globally. James Fuller, head of the Volkswagen brand in North America, concurred in using the Golf name to stress the car's Teutonic character. The GTI body kit became available on a non-injection Golf and was sold as the "Driver" trim level in Europe. While the GTI remained a trim level in the Golf lineup in Europe, in North America it was (and continues to be) marketed as a separate model line.

The Golf 2 was available as a 3- and 5-door hatchback. Its notchback (sedan) sister car (available as a 4- and a 2-door model) was again called Jetta. No cabriolet version was developed from the Golf 2; instead, the Golf1-based cabriolet continued to be produced.



Trim levels included base, C, CL and GL and initially a range-topping Carat model (until 1985), later a GT (in 1987) version was also on offer. In North America, there was only a base model until 1986, in 1987 a GL and GT model, in 1988-1989, there was all three, and in 1990 until the end of its run there was again only a GL. The GTI model existed from 1985-1987, and again from 1990-1992, and the GTI 16v existed from 1987-1992. In Japan the range consisted of catalysed Ci/CLi/GLi models all sharing the same 1.6 or later 1.8 litre fuel-injected I4 engines. In the course of the years, a host of "limited edition" models appeared on various markets, distinguished by cosmetic changes and/or an enriched features list. Generally, these were option packages on top of a base "model" (CL, GL, etc).

New base engine was a 1.05 litre inline four; other engine offerings included 1.3, 1.6 and 1.8 litre petrol fours and 1.6 litre naturally aspirated or turbocharged diesel engines. In North America, all Golf 2s had 1.8 litre petrol or 1.6 diesel engines (the GTI, while not a Golf model in North America, also had a 2.0 litre model).

Style Council

Early innovators Premier Vehicle Services in Northampton, UK, headed by Steve Denton, now Stylehaus, produced this avant-garde mover and shaker. Possibly a bit too advanced in the style stakes, as the UK scene would follow the tried and tested and very classic BBS-split rim and tasteful dark metallic trends, the Germans and the other continentals had been developing over a period. This 'Rhubarb&Custard' had a Jetta rear bench backrest adapted to fit the front seats, now also a beanchseat. The handbrake and gearshifter had to relocated further forward as a result. It had countless ground-breaking tricks and modifications. The use of gold and chrome used throughout, including the desirable Gotti split rim wheels, a huge depart from the usual UK built cars of the time, made this stand out like no other. It featured the earlier doors with the quarterlight windows too. This car has never really been equalled as far as innovation in the UK.

Performance VW November 2009

History Repeated...

The successful Golf GTI (or, in the USA, simply "GTI") was continued with the Golf 2 as a sporty 3- or 5-door hatchback. Like late Golf 1 GTIs, it featured a fuel-injected 1.8 litre four developing 112 PS (82 kW; 110 hp). In 1986 (1987 for North America) a Golf GTI 16V was introduced; here the 1.8 litre engine put out 139 PS (102 kW; 137 hp) (or 129 PS (95 kW; 127 hp) for the catalyst version) and the model was marked by discreet red and black "16v" badges front and rear. US/Canadian GTIs were later equipped with 2.0 16 valve-engines, available in the Passat and Corrado outside North America. In 1990, like the Golf, the GTI was given a facelift, and the "Big Bumper" became standard on all GTIs. This was maintained through the rest of the Mk2 model era.



In 1990 the GTi G60 was also introduced featuring the 8v 1.8 with a G60 supercharger this version is not to be confused with the very rare G60 Limited.

Golf Syncro

In February 1986, Volkswagen presented the first Golf with four-wheel drive “Syncro”. This Golf Syncro was available with the 1.8 engine only (90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp), later 98 PS (72 kW; 97 hp)). Its 4WD system had been developed in collaboration with Steyr-Daimler-Puch of Austria, and featured a viscous coupling and flexible partition of torque between front and rear axle. Due to its high price (in 1986, a Syncro cost about 30% more than an equivalent front wheel drive model) the model remained rare; from 1986 to 1989, for instance, just 26,000 Syncros were built.

Rallye Golf

In 1989, the Rallye Golf appeared as a rallye "homologation special". Distinguishable by its box-flared wheel arches (similar to the Audi quattro, BMW E30 M3 and Lancia Delta Integrale) and rectangular headlamps, this model featured Syncro four-wheel drive, and a G-supercharger version of the injected 8 valve 1.8 litre engine. 5,000 cars were built in Volkswagen's Brussels, Belgium, plant, priced at about DM 50,000 each (or roughly twice as much as a base Golf GTI).
Golf Limited

Volkswagen Golf Limited





Based on the Rallye Golf, a very limited edition Golf 2 variant exists, combining all of the high-line options available at the time. Designed and hand-built by the Volkswagen Motorsport division; only 71 of these "Golf Limited" models were produced. The exclusive feature package included a G60 supercharged version of the 16-valve GTI engine, mated to a sports transmission and Syncro four-wheel drive mechanism. All of these special edition models came in gunmetal grey, with four doors (except two built with three doors), BBS RM wheels in 6.5Jx15", US bumpers, a plain two-headlight grille with a unique blue detail, black VW logo, Hella tinted taillights, motorsport badges and a special numbered plaque. It is rumored that two examples were built with air conditioning. In 1989, these cars cost in the region of DM 36,000 /£25,000 (about US$41,250 at the time) each and were primarily sold to Volkswagen-Audi Group executives and management, although a few are known to exist in Britain as of 2005. These cars produced 210 PS (150 kW; 210 hp) 252 N·m (186 ft·lbf) and 0-100 km/h (about 0-60 mph) in 7.2 seconds, making them the most powerful VW Golfs ever produced until VW released the Golf 4 (typ1J)R32 with 241 PS (177 kW; 238 hp) in 2003.

Volkswagen Golf Country






There was also a version called Golf Country (about 6,697 cars), designed for light off-road driving. It had more suspension travel, four-wheel drive, bullbars (generally over a single headlight grill), a skid plate for protecting the engine area, and a spare wheel mounted externally on the back.

In Europe, it was offered with the acclaimed 114 bhp (85 kW) 1.8 8v petrol engine, and in smaller numbers, the 75 hp (56 kW) 1.6 GTD turbodiesel engine. There were also: 160 "Country Allround"; 558 " Country - Chrompaket" with Chrome bullbars and beige leather interior; and 50 "Country GTI" for VW-staff. The Golf Country was particularly popular in Alpine regions in central Europe.

North America

As with the North American Rabbit, the second-generation Golf was produced for North America in Pennsylvania. When sales in North America failed to live up to expectations and with increasing productions costs, the Westmoreland plant was closed in July 1988. Subsequent Golfs sold in North America came from the Puebla assembly plant, in Mexico. The Golf 2 was discontinued in Europe in 1991, but Mexican-made Golf 2 models remained available in North America for another year.

In its first year on sale in North America, 1985, the Golf 2 maintained sealed-beam square headlights, while the GTI bore flush headlights (from the Jetta). All Golfs gained the flush "aerolamps" in 1987 after a design freshening to move it more upscale in the wake of the introduction of the Brazilian-built Fox (Voyage in Brazil) in North America. This is also the reasoning for the model being called "Golf GL", while virtually no equipment changes occurred. The 1985 U.S. models are easy to distinguish from subsequent models due to the absence of a high-mounted brakelight; these became required of all cars sold in the U.S. for 1986.
The GTI was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1985, as well as VWVortex's "Best Golf of all time". The Mk2 GTI failed to make the same waves as the Golf 1, and failed to win back the Golf GTI's fanbase which had adopted the Peugeot 205 GTI. In North America, where Peugeot did not sell the 205 in any guise, Volkswagen faced tough competition from the Honda Civic S (later Si).

In its first year on sale in the U.S., Golf sales were eight percent below those of the 1984 Rabbit. Sales of the all-new 1985 Jetta, by contrast, sky-rocketed compared with the 1984 model. In 1986, the Jetta became VW's bestseller in North America, a position it has held ever since.





As with the Golf 1, there was a "warm hatch" version known as the Golf GT. Introduced in 1987, it featured the GTI's exterior styling, namely the red stripe exterior trim, and wheelarch spoilers but with a standard 1.8 L engine, available in an automatic and with 4 doors (unlike the GTI). It only lasted for a few years, but with the reintroduction of the GTI in 1989 (the GTI 16v was produced continuously from 1987-1992), this model bore the concept. Year by year, the GTI with the 8 valve engine lost its GTI-like features, getting standard Golf brakes in 1990, suspension in 1991, losing the MFA computer, and finally being optional with an automatic, a first in GTI history. All GTI models got the European quad-headlight grille with the upgrade to big bumpers in 1990.

A 2.0 litre engine producing 134 hp (100 kW) replaced the 1.8 in 1990 - 1992 North American 16V models. This version included 15" 2pc BBS RM wheels. In the interior, the Recaro seats no longer had vinyl bolsters of earlier GTIs.