First model in the hatchback lineage preserves intact originality for more than half a century, but faces resistance in the collectors' market
The online auction house The Collectables has put up for sale a true automotive time capsule: one of the first examples of the Volkswagen Golf, manufactured in 1974. Despite having left the assembly line 52 years ago, the hatch has an astonishing 36 kilometers recorded on the odometer, which makes it, in practice, a zero-kilometer vehicle.
Currently under the custody of a Belgian collector, who seeks to free up space in his garage to house new relics, the European model faces a surprising difficulty in hooking buyers. This is not the first time that the specimen has sought a new owner. In a previous attempt, the maximum bid reached 25,500 euros, an amount considered insufficient to close the deal. Now, in a new round, the trading session was opened with an initial bid of zero euros, in an aggressive strategy to try to attract more enthusiasts.
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Under the hood, this pioneer of the Golf dynasty hides a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine from the acclaimed EA827 family. With 70 hp, the engine may seem modest by today’s standards, but the mechanical set, combined with front-wheel drive, guarantees the agility that helped the hatch successfully replace the Beetle in the 1970s.
Dynamic performance is favored by the vehicle’s low weight. With four doors, the lean body weighs only 800 kg. The manual transmission is of the 4+E type (four gears and a fifth geared to economy), and the external look has alloy wheels shod with Goodyear tires.
The cabin is a faithful portrait of its era: the interior features a characteristic fabric finish of the time and a complete dashboard with tachometer. The absence of trivial items today, such as radio and front headrests, is not a demerit, but a reinforcement of the purist character and untouched originality of this classic.
