Re: Turbo diesel Rabbit

[Rabbit TD]

A1 Golfs TD are generally kind of rare, as the TD engine was introduced in 03/1982 and the A2 Golf was already introduced in 08/1983 - at least for europe.

Ingo

We got the Rabbit (A1 Golf) thru the '84 model year though over here and didn't get the A2s until '85. I did some Googling and the Rabbit was available here with a TD engine from what looks like 1983 and 1984. In our A2s, the turbo diesel was available in the Jetta but not in our Golfs (normally-aspirated diesels only).

I was aware that there were 84 rabbits, but I didn't know that the A2 did not appear in the US before 85 - thought this was a mid year change like A3 to A4.

Interesting. Do you know if there were GTDs or just the "normal" trim-levels available with the TD? Over here both a1 and A2 golfs did come as GTD with the same trim as the GTI.

Ingo

not appear in the US before 85 - thought this was a mid year change like A3 to A4.

The A1-A2 change was a clean break between '84 and '85 here.

trim-levels available with the TD?

We never had a 'GTD' trim level in anything here. For the A1 Turbodiesel Rabbit, it was at least a 'GL' model. Example:

IIRC in general our later Rabbits were L, GL, LS, and GTI. The GTI of course didn't get the TD engine but I'm not sure if it was available in all of the other three or not. I want to say that the LS was probably a 4-door only and the GL probably also is a 4-door only. The L is probably 2 and 4 door.

So it took the A2 almost 2 years to cross the water - wonder if this was a marketing decision or had something to do with the us rabbit-plant.

IIRC at first the TD was only available as GTD with a two-door body. But shortly after this it was available in different trim levels and in the Jetta, too.

Ingo

marketing decision or had something to do with the us rabbit-plant.

We almost always get VWs "late". For example, we had no 1989 Passat. Our Quantum (B2 Passat) was last offered for '88 and the new B3 Passat wasn't sold here until the '90 model year. The Eurovan (T4 vans) arrived here for the '93 model year, but was sold in Canada for 1992 (we had no '92 vans at all). Our A3s arrived VERY late (March of 1993, well into the '93 model year) but Canada and Mexico got them at least a few months before we did. Our A4s were around November-December of '99. Our B5 Passat arrived for the '98 model year I think at least a few months behind Europe (I remember first seeing a B5 in Italy in September-October of '97 while on vacation but it arrived here later). And of course the A5 Golf has debuted over there and isn't here yet (is there an A5 based Bora over there yet?).

But North America got the New Beetle before anyone else....

Canada also got the 1.9l Eco-Diesel....I don't think that the U.S. ever got it...

- Peter

Good point. Probably because it seems to have more nostalgia here than elsewhere.

Nope. We got the 1.6 version in the A2 Jetta though but when the A3s appeared with the 1.9 we didn't get it.