Production History

Timeline

Click here to view the Cabriolet's production timeline.

Factory Photos

Click here to see assembly line photos at the Karmann plant, as well as the 1976 prototype of the Cabriolet.

Production Numbers

Total built in 1979: 11,795

Total built in 1980: 25,982

Total built in 1990: 37,561

Total built in 1991: 38,953

Total built between January 1979 and April 1993: 388,522

How Many Are Left?

Good question.  It is virtually impossible to get a definitive number.  However, we can come up with an estimate: In looking over European registration figures for the past 20 years, there is a trend of an average annual loss of 6%.  If we apply this figure to all production years, 1979-1993, as of 2011, this yields an estimated total of approximately 23-33% of the total number of Cabriolets produced remaining in the world today.  With the modern propensity to dispose of vehicles that are considered to be simply old, unreliable, and mechanically not worth fixing, Cabriolets are being sent to the crusher at a higher rate today than they were just 10 years ago.

More information can be found on the Registry page.

Sales History

Fact vs. Fiction

Myth: The Volkswagen Golf I Cabriolet is just a Golf I hatchback with its roof chopped off.

Fact: The Volkswagen Golf I Cabriolet is of uni-body construction (with reinforcements welded in) built entirely at the Karmann factory, from stamping to final assembly. Volkswagen supplied the engine, suspension, interior, etc. for Karmann to install. The Karmann badges exist on all Cabriolets to pay tribute to the company that built the cars; therefore, there is no such thing as a "Karmann Edition".

Myth: European Volkswagen Golf Cabriolets had a diesel engine as an option.

Fact: Research shows that diesel engines were never a factory option for the Golf I Cabriolet anywhere in the world.  However, there were, reportedly, a handful of 1.6L diesel Golf Cabriolets sent to the UK upon special-request for 1981; these are extremely rare (if they were indeed produced) and sport "Golf GLD" badges.

Myth: The Volkswagen Golf I Cabriolet is a Type 1, Type 17, Type 19, etc.

Fact: The Golf I Cabriolet is, in fact, a Type 155.

Names & Monikers

Monikers

A1 is the official Volkswagen chassis designation given to the first generation Golf/Rabbit convertible.  All of these convertibles are A1 chassis cars (an A2 chassis convertible was never produced).

Mk1 (pronounced "mark one") is a British moniker meaning "version" (referring to the car's body style) given to the first generation Golf/Rabbit convertible.  All  1979-1993 Golf/Rabbit convertibles are Mk1s; the 1988-1993 Cabriolets are usually referred to as "Mk1 Clippers" to distinguish the later models.

Golf I is the European moniker used to distinguish the generations.  All 1979-1993 Golf/Rabbit convertibles are Golf I generation cars.

Names

Golf Cabriolet

• Worldwide, outside North America: 1979-1993
• Canada: 1988-1993

Rabbit Convertible

• North America: 1980-1984
• Austria: 1991

Cabriolet

• USA: 1985-1993
• Canada: 1985-1987

Bottom line for the above: Golf Cabriolet = Cabriolet = Rabbit Convertible = Golf cabrio = Rabbit cabrio.

"Cabriolet" is French for "convertible" and, therefore, "cabrio" is just like saying "'vert". Using "cabrio" (with a lowercase "c") is not incorrect, but those in North America posting on Volkswagen forum sites should be prepared to be badgered by those who are language ignorant due to Volkswagen's ingenious idea of naming the A3 Golf convertible "Cabrio" in the States. When posting about your car on these car forums, always use the year of your car and do not capitalize the "c" and, if necessary, post  this picture (or a link to it) of a German dealer brochure to prove that you're correct in using the word.

Safety

Information taken from the 1980's IIHS crash test document: http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr2604.pdf

USA

UK

1980

13390

1980

719

1981

12115

1981

851

1982

8984

1982

1035

1983

9613

1983

1076

1984

11559

1984

1170

1985

12637

1985

1054

1986

14275

1986

1427

1987

13563

1987

1660

1988

12591

1988

1763

1989

9891

1989

2565

1990

7615

1990

2389

1991

5401

1991

1730

1992*

7031

1992

1019

1993*

3846

1993

511

1994*

3838

1994

5

1995

2

Sources: VWoA & "A1_Lover" of VWvortex.com; *from the Catalog of Imported Cars".  All sales numbers are for the calendar year not model year; 1980 number includes Beetle Convertible.

Source: vwgolfmk1.co.uk & VAG UK