Of course, the Golf was never called one for the 1st series in the American market, but was known as the Rabbit. The succeeding generations were properly named Golf, in whatever market they were sold, up to the 4th generation. VW of America revived the Rabbit nameplate again, on the Golf Mark 5. Confusing? I am as well. It’s purely marketing to me!
Small-scale talk-wise, HotWheels didn’t miss the opportunity to model this famous hot hatch. Made in HongKong and marked ‘Hare Splitter’ it is an obvious spin of the Rabbit nameplate. Surely HW was suggesting this to be the GTI version of the Mark1 VW Rabbit, as this was ought to be a sportier version. But then again, there a continental divide that makes this particular diecast interesting like the real Mark1 GTI! The Rabbit version has square headlights and the Golf version has the round ones, as easy visible differentiation. So HW actually modeled the European Golf GTi, not the U.S. Rabbit GTI. A wonderful mix-up of sorts! Another interesting tidbit to add to the colorful GTI Mark1 story!
I love this Hare of a Golf….
Or Golf of a Rabbit….
GTI spotting #1 (above): backdrop #1 is the HotWheels Golf5 GTI (custom by Komenda VW). No Rabbit5 GTI exist! Another one of those amusing marketing move!
GTI spotting #2 (below): On background is Matchbox Golf GTI Mark2. No confusion of hare whatsoever :-)
10 comments:
very interesting, erwin, you are VW encyclopedia of facts and origin and i've learn something new today,hehe
thanks for sharing!
that custom works are nice!
Thanks Danielh! It's a pleasure sharing this VW trivia with you :-)
cool VWs! but I got lost in translation hahahaha!
I hope to see your real VW Bug soon.
Love that old school with it's tire on the roof rack, keep hunting down those rabbits Erwin! =)
Thanks Brian! My real 1:1 VW's are the ones with front engine and radiator like the Golf ;-) I'll post some pics soon!
Hi Jovet, glad you liked the hairy rabbit! I'm constantly on a hunting expedition for this car species :-)
Holy!!! I had one of those Golf rally but mine was so battered already which I found at an ukay ukay store. Congrats on such a beauty Erwin!
Oh and I saw a 1:43 rally golf on ebay, still thingking though. :-)
Thanks Mike! This rally Golf is a wonderful keeper :-) my VW friend from California sent me this vintage HW. On the 1:43, I think I have one in my shelf! Any old-school racing Golf is very interesting addition in your collection IMHO :-) a rally version is tops! Go for it my friend :-)
WOW i love that custom Golf5 GTi!
the wheels if not mistaken from muscle machine/tamiya JGTC car! superb..i dont even dare to touch my JGTC car to extract the wheels..hehehe
very well done!
Glad you liked it shaz!
The wheels from a Ferrari, its body wass chipped and cracked. Got it for less than a dollar only :-)
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