Oldest RHD GTI

evening everyone, just chatting to a friend and wondered who has the oldest RHD Golf GTi?
And when were they avaliable from?  Digging around it seems the end on 1978 in my opinion. 

I thought 1979 wa the first year for right hand drive. So maybe a '77 or '78 prototype out there but production would be 1979 if I had to guess.

Can't be certain myself but I'm guessing that the production run would have started October 78 making them available January 79 on.

A handful might of got through end of 78 but back in the day who would want to register a car late 78, when they can wait a few days and it will a 79.

It made a big difference back then. But not as much as August 1 of course.  

I'm correcting myself here because VW UK and some of the country's biggest dealers might have registered one or two as demonstrators!

Maybe a dealer like Dovercourt but all this was a few years before my time!  

Mines a pretty early 4 speed RHD car which was built 18th June '79 - I doubt RHD production began much before that date 

Buzetti

That's up there for certain.  

But take a look at this link from our very own club website: https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/index.php?page=cedi&type=misc&id=46

This is a quote from the link regarding the GTI:

"The car was not shown in the UK until late in 1976, the first appearance being at the London Motor Show. It was stated that no RHD versions would be available due to 'technical reasons'. It was reviewed by 'Motor' magazine which credited it with a 0-60 time of 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 108mph. It was available to import at £3,372. This car, MKT 512R, a Mars Red example, was probably the first Mk1 Golf GTI in the UK.

Volkswagen dealers in the UK lobbied Volkswagen Germany hard for two years and at last, in early 1979, the Golf GTI was on sale in the UK with right hand drive. Shortly afterwards the 5 speed gearbox was also added to the 1.6 engine. Only 22 Golf GTI's were sold in the UK in 1978, but over 1500 were sold in 1979, and the Golf GTI has never wavered in terms of sales success in the UK since, except during the insurance problems of the early 1990s and even then, it was still one of few hot hatches backs to weather the 'insurance recession'."

The key here I guess is, "Only 22 Golf GTI's were sold in the UK in 1978" and I bet most of those were registered by VW UK or a handful of Dealers and all would have been 4 speed you'd think.
I'm sure that some of the 22 towards the end of 78 and very early 79 would have been RHD.

The market is so much different now but back then 99% of new car buyers were not interested in buying and driving a LHD anything.

Just for your Info!  

Buzetti said

Mines a pretty early 4 speed RHD car which was built 18th June '79 - I doubt RHD production began much before that date 

when was it registered in the UK?

volkswarren said

Buzetti said

Mines a pretty early 4 speed RHD car which was built 18th June '79 - I doubt RHD production began much before that date 

when was it registered in the UK?

volkswarren said

Buzetti said

Mines a pretty early 4 speed RHD car which was built 18th June '79 - I doubt RHD production began much before that date 

when was it registered in the UK?

Mine Registered 1st September 1979
I don't think factory RHD GTIs arrived in U.K. Before mid 1979, although a number of earlier LHD cars were converted by specialists-  Dubboy would know I imagine
Attached from Essential Buyers Guide, but may be inaccurate (?)

volkswarren said

Buzetti said

Mines a pretty early 4 speed RHD car which was built 18th June '79 - I doubt RHD production began much before that date 

when was it registered in the UK?

volkswarren said

Buzetti said

Mines a pretty early 4 speed RHD car which was built 18th June '79 - I doubt RHD production began much before that date 

when was it registered in the UK?

Mine Registered 1st September 1979
I don't think factory RHD GTIs arrived in U.K. Before mid 1979, although a number of earlier LHD cars were converted by specialists-  Dubboy would know I imagine
Attached from Essential Buyers Guide, but may be inaccurate (?)

I love these type of discussions because for one we learn something new each time it arises but we never have the absolute definitive answer.    
(The answer to Life the Universe and Everything = 42) for example!

Has anyone approached VW UK in an official capacity from this Club and asked them the question and to provide us, and the worldwide community the definitive answer for the UK market?

Yomp
Hairyarse

Golf Cabrio said

I love these type of discussions because for one we learn something new each time it arises but we never have the absolute definitive answer.    
(The answer to Life the Universe and Everything = 42) for example!

Has anyone approached VW UK in an official capacity from this Club and asked them the question and to provide us, and the worldwide community the definitive answer for the UK market?

Yomp
Hairyarse

Certainly does make interesting reading, i searched last week and there is a T reg June 79 in a post from 2007. Dont know if its still around.


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golf Cabrio Hi Mike

I think Rajan dubboy may be the best first stop as I think he's done a lot of this research already?

I know his LHD series 1 GTI is older than VW's own in their museum!  

Hairyarse said

golf Cabrio Hi Mike

I think Rajan dubboy may be the best first stop as I think he's done a lot of this research already?

I know his LHD series 1 GTI is older than VW's own in their museum!  

Yes I have the oldest GTi a June 1976 build, probably the oldest official VW UK import "one of the 22" imported in 1978 and one of the oldest 1979 RHD GTis

dubboy Is your RHD 79 a T reg ? Ive had my certificate back from the museum but ive had to ask them to double check. They have 5.5j wheels on the Data sheet and 5j on the certificate. So a little confused.



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dubboy said

Hairyarse said

golf Cabrio Hi Mike

I think Rajan dubboy may be the best first stop as I think he's done a lot of this research already?

I know his LHD series 1 GTI is older than VW's own in their museum!  

Yes I have the oldest GTi a June 1976 build, probably the oldest official VW UK import "one of the 22" imported in 1978 and one of the oldest 1979 RHD GTis

Thought as much! 👍

Mine was built on Jan 15th 1979 left the factory 24th Jan  model 172 331 VW Golf GTI right hand drive, registered in April on a T reg,


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Now that is seriously early! ☺️👍

So the question for me still is what if anything did VW UK 🇬🇧 have at that time?

I mean did the dealers just show potential customers a brochure, a video tape maybe if they had one?

There was no Internet back then. 🙃

I joined my dealership towards the end of 1983 and for the years I worked there you could always be sure no matter what model came out, they had registered one or more long before the dealer stock arrived.

My Boss would get seriously pee'd off with them but that was the way they were.

They play first, dealers second!

But by the time the Mk2 GTI came out it didn't matter anymore because customers were throwing money and orders at us.

Hence the motor trade term "Overs" was born.
Selling a new car for more than the retail price!

Oh what a wonderful time that was but sadly I've given away another trade secret! 😂

Golf Cabrio said

Now that is seriously early! ☺️👍

Yes i was a little worried it wasnt correct, as you just dont see any/Many T reg MK1 GTI's

volkswarren said

Golf Cabrio said

Now that is seriously early! ☺️👍

Yes i was a little worried it wasnt correct, as you just dont see any/Many T reg MK1 GTI's

How true and certainly not from where I am! 😉👍

Golf Cabrio said

I love these type of discussions because for one we learn something new each time it arises but we never have the absolute definitive answer.    
(The answer to Life the Universe and Everything = 42) for example!

Has anyone approached VW UK in an official capacity from this Club and asked them the question and to provide us, and the worldwide community the definitive answer for the UK market?

Yomp
Hairyarse

Vw uk say speak to the museum


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