After a long and successful run, the Golf Mk 1 was superseded in 1983. Demand for entry level cars led Volkswagen South Africa to relaunch the first-generation Golf with a facelift and market it as the Volkswagen Citi Golf. This incarnation was produced and sold from 1984 to 2009 and was only available as a 5-door hatchback. Over the years, VW marketed many different trim levels and special editions including the wildly popular Chico, but they were fundamentally the Golf 1.
The iconic car was initially only available in red, yellow and blue but later more colours were introduced. In 1988, the front grille was refreshed and had a more sloping look. Bumpers were also updated at this time. The car was sold with 1.4 and 1.6 litre engines. The Citi came out with a powerful 1800cc engine in the late 80s.
The end of the Citi Golf era came after a whopping 25 years in 2009. A special version of the Citi Golf, called the Citi Mk1, was released to mark the occasion. Only 1000 units were produced featuring lowered suspension, 15” alloy wheels, tinted windows, a leather sports steering wheel with airbag, and chrome foil side stripes - making them a true collector's item.