Look What I Found: The Topless Topless Golf
While walking down memory lane to the dark days of diesel, I came across this gem in the archives of the Volkswagen History Department: The prototype of the first Golf Convertible. It was developed and produced by Karmann in Osnabrück. The company went bankrupt. Volkswagen bought Karmann, and inherited this find.
This convertible had no roll-over bar. The shape of the windshield and the trunk lid were changed before the car went in series. The convertible was based on the Golf Mk I. In 1993, a new convertible was built, based on the Mk III Golf. 2002 was the end of the open air season.
This year, a new Golf Convertible, based on the Golf Mk VI, will follow.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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I bought a new '89 when going to school, after graduating, I had a company car and my mother took over the Cabriolet (that year it was not called Golf or Rabbit) and drove it for another 15 years... despite a lot of little stupid quality problems, all in all, it was a pretty good car. Re. the missing basket handle on the prototype, I liked mine, it made besides the roll-over effect, it made the car stiffer (and allowed the removal of stiffening materials elsewhere in the BIW), the windows seal better, the body stronger against side-impact, and a provided a natural b-pillar upon which to hang the upper guide for the shoulder belt...
Love, love, love my Cabrio (2000 Dark Blue with Tan Leather) - swapped cars with my wife in 2005 (she took my Acura TL; now driving a CR-V) - my Cabrio has 68K miles, and other than a complete trans at 51K miles (which VW warranteed!), not very much in the way of problems.