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).