VW Golf and Rabbit: Illustrated History Books & Guides

VW Golf Mk I - IV

In 1974, the Volkswagen Golf replaced the long-running Beetle and set a new standard for the family hatchback. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, it used a transverse engine layout to improve interior space and practicality.

In this illustrated study, Richard Copping examines the Golf's worldwide success, outlining its development and major design decisions. He reviews later generations, including the Mk 2 (1983), Mk 3 (1991) and Mk IV (1997), and explains the steady growth in size, safety and performance. New engines and technical improvements are covered, along with the well-known GTi models. The fourth generation also introduced more efficient diesel options.

Related saloon versions such as the Jetta, Vento and Bora are discussed, particularly their importance in the American market.

Product details

Author:	Richard Copping
Details:	96 pages, 9.25 x 6.5 in (23.5 x 16.5 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	100 b&w and color photos
Language:	English
Publisher:	Amberley Publishing (GB, 2023)
ISBN:	9781398113374

VW Golf Cabriolet (1979-2002) - Brooklands Portfolio

Brooklands Portfolio book featuring Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet models from the years 1979-2002. Describes the VW Golf Cabriolet and Rabbit Convertible, GLi, GTi, TDi, Clipper, Avantgarde, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, Mk 1, Mk 3 and Mk 3.5.

Pages of the book "VW Golf Cabriolet (1979-2002)"

• The period articles, brought together from leading British and American car magazines, provide much information about history, model changes and engineering.
• Also driving impressions, original road tests, comparison tests, technical data, etc.

More information about Brooklands Portfolio books

Product details

Details:	160 pages, 11 x 8.25 x 0.43 in (28 x 21 x 1.1 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	extensively illustrated
Language:	English
Publisher:	Brooklands Books (GB, 2010)
Series:	Road Test Portfolio
ISBN:	9781855209091

Volkswagen Golf GTI (1979-1992) - Essential Buyer's Guide

Charts the models that an enthusiast has to own, from the iconic late model Mk I with its pocket rocket 1.8-litre engine and 5-speed box, through to the exclusive, extremely powerful and much sought after limited edition Rallye Golf. With both mileage and particularly condition having a marked affect on potential prices, the authors give sound advice on what is worth restoring and what, however tempting, is likely to cost a new owner an un-recoupable fortune.
Weak points, rust traps, and potential mechanical defects are laid out for the reader, with clear Golf-specific guidelines offered on the practicalities of rectifying such problems. The authors also embrace both the customized and mechanically modified examples of the Mk I and Mk II GTI, with each aspect of Golf ownership meticulously captured on camera.

Models: Golf I: GTI, GTI Campaign, Cabriolet GLI / Golf II: GTI, GTI 18-valve, Rallye Golf, Golf G60.
Years: 1979-1992.

Product details

Author:	Richard Copping, Ken Cservenka
Details:	64 pages, 7.7 x 5.5 in (19.5 x 14 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	100 color photos
Language:	English
Publisher:	Veloce Publishing Ltd (GB, 2009)
Series:	The Essential Buyer's Guide
ISBN:	9781845841881

Volkswagen Golf GTI

When Volkswagen launched the Golf GTI, over thirty years ago, it could hardly have known the impact its compact and sporty model would have on the car-buying public. Through an uncertain birth to its class-topping iconic status of today, rarely does a new model of car make a whole new market segment for itself but the Golf was the original hot hatch, a car that others would copy but seldom equal.

This book details every mark of GTI. Many archive images.

Product details

Author:	James Richardson
Details:	208 pages, 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.71 in (25 x 20 x 1.8 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	294 color photos
Language:	English
Publisher:	The Crowood Press Ltd (GB, 2008)
ISBN:	9781847970480

Thirty Years of the Volkswagen Golf & Rabbit

This book covers the fascinating transition from Beetle to Golf and the subsequent development of the car that became Volkswagen's new icon. Included are Volkswagen archival photographs of early development projects and details about the people who built these charismatic cars.

The story is more than facts and figures. It is an adventurous tale of a company whose future rested on the fenders of a hatchback economy car - a car that ultimately became a favorite of car enthusiasts around the world.

Product details

Author:	Kevin Clemens
Details:	128 pages, 11 x 8.5 x 0.39 in (28 x 21.5 x 1 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	130 b&w photos
Language:	English
Publisher:	Iconografix (USA, 2006)
ISBN:	9781583881583

VW Golf GTI (1976-1991) - Brooklands Portfolio

Brooklands Portfolio book featuring VW Golf GTI models from the years 1976-1991. Describes the Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit GTI Mk I and II with 1.6 8V, 1.8 8V, 1.8 16V and G60 engines.

• The 42 period articles, brought together from leading British and American car magazines, provide much information about history, model changes and engineering.
• Also driving impressions, original road tests, comparison tests, technical data, etc.

More information about Brooklands Portfolio books

Product details

Details:	136 pages, 10.25 x 8.1 x 0.39 in (26 x 20.5 x 1 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	250 photos
Language:	English
Publisher:	Brooklands Books (GB, 2004)
Series:	Limited Edition Extra
ISBN:	9781855206748

You & Your Volkswagen Golf GTI - Buying, enjoying, maintaining, modifying

The Golf GTI Mk I, introduced in 1976, was the world's first true high-performance hatchback and set the standard for the class. Each following generation kept this reputation, and the refined Mk IV still reflects the character of the earlier models.

This book covers the GTI versions of the Golf Mk I, Mk II, Mk III and Mk IV. It presents the history of the model, advice for buying, using, maintaining and upgrading these cars, and an overview of their technical data. Descriptions of each version, details of model evolution and information on production numbers are also included. All content is in full colour.

Product details

Author:	Andy Butler
Details:	160 pages, 10.25 x 7.7 x 0.51 in (26 x 19.5 x 1.3 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	175 color photos
Language:	English (technical dictionaries in 19 languages are available for free download here)
Publisher:	Haynes Publishing (GB, 2002)
ISBN:	9781859608104

VW Golf I et II - La référence (Autofocus)

In 1974, Volkswagen introduced the Golf I, which became the brand's best-selling model. Its exceptional success left a lasting impact on automotive history. Among all generations, the Golf I and II remain the most iconic and beloved by collectors for their design, philosophy, and diversity.

This book, featuring over 200 photos, provides a detailed look at these first two generations and their many variations: the most popular models, the most innovative, the sporty versions like the GTI and 16V, the Syncro all-wheel-drive models, the convertible, and the rarest editions, including the legendary Oettinger.

Product details

Author:	Patrice Vergès, Nicolas Delpierre
Details:	160 pages, 11.6 x 9.7 x 0.67 in (29.5 x 24.5 x 1.7 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	220 color photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	Sophia Éditions (F, 2024)
Series:	Autofocus
ISBN:	9782385140809

Volkswagen Golf - Les modèles depuis 1974

Since its creation in 1974, the Golf commissioned by Volkswagen from the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, has continued to delight lovers of quality mechanics, fans of recreational sports cars and all those who want to choose without making a mistake.

Through seven generations of Golf, this book revisits the history of one of the best-selling cars in the world: 35 million to date. This automotive icon has shone with its road qualities, but also seduced with its versatility. Indeed, the Golf is the only production car to have been at the same time an economical diesel, a 360 horsepower super-sports car, a convertible, a saloon, an estate, a 4x4... without ever losing its soul or its style for almost half a century.

Product details

Author:	Benjamin Cuq
Details:	160 pages, 8.1 x 11.6 in (20.5 x 29.5 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	many b&w and color photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	Editions E/P/A (F, 2019)
ISBN:	9782376710240

Volkswagen Golf 1 - Le vent du renouveau (Top Model)

In 1974, the Golf concentrated a high level of technology; quality safety features and undeniable practical aspects, with its two or four doors and its tailgate. The risk was measured for Wolfsburg, because all the technical part was taken from models that had already had their illnesses. The lines, designed by Giugiaro, were classic and dynamic, but did not offend the clientele.
Success was not long in coming. With the Golf, Volkswagen had finally entered the modern era with a bang. Its qualities quickly made the new kid on the block the number one in the C segment. It inspired the competition and would very quickly become the one to dethrone. Its image would seduce many markets. Available as a saloon with a trunk, it took the name Jetta.

The Golf having replaced the Beetle, it was normal to derive a convertible from it... Still produced by Karmann, this one has a fixed roll bar and provides space for the rear occupants. On the light utility side, the Golf also stands out, with a panel version then a pick-up that will outlive the three and five-door versions by almost ten years.
Versatile, the Golf transforms as easily into an accomplished sports car, the GTI, as into a champion of economy in performance, with its Diesel then turbo Diesel versions.

Over the years, the little Volkswagen has forged a "concrete" image that will only continue to last and grow from generation to generation. At a time when the Golf 1 and its derivatives are entering the world of collecting, it was essential to look at its rich history and offer the most complete synthesis possible.

Product details

Author:	Dimitri Urbain
Details:	240 pages, 11.4 x 9 in (29 x 24 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	624 b&w and color photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	ETAI (F, 2015)
Series:	Top Model
ISBN:	9791028300517

VW Golf Story - Alle Generationen seit 1974

The VW Golf, initially awaited as the much-needed successor to the VW Beetle, became one of the most successful stories in the automotive world.
With its water-cooled front engine and new hatchback design, it quickly became a bestseller and defined the so-called "Golf class." To this day, the Golf remains one of the best-selling cars worldwide.

In this book, Russell Hayes narrates the story of the VW Golf from its beginnings to the present, providing a detailed introduction to all eight generations. This work honors this remarkable vehicle from Wolfsburg.

Product details

Author:	Russell Hayes
Details:	320 pages, 10.6 x 9.25 x 0.91 in (27 x 23.5 x 2.3 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	390 b&w and color photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Motorbuch Verlag (D, 2024)
ISBN:	9783613046429

Das grosse VW-GTI-Buch (Reprint)

When some employees in the VW development department began to develop their idea of a sporty version of the VW Golf in 1973, none of them suspected that this car would one day give its name to an entire vehicle class.
The magical abbreviation "GTI" became the symbol of a new driving experience, standing for the combination of power, fascination, reliability and affordable price.

This book not only tells the story of the meteoric rise of the Golf GTI. The authors also give a voice to the fan community that the Sport Golf has gathered around it like no other car in modern automotive history.
They try to convey some of the fascination that surrounds the car with the beloved three letters, and also give an insight into future developments. Of course, the sporting successes of the GTI are not neglected either.

Product details

Author:	Rolf D. Busch, Thomas Fuths, Thomas M. Imhof
Details:	168 pages, 13.4 x 9.7 in (34 x 24.5 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	200 b&w photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Heel-Verlag GmbH (D, 2018)
ISBN:	9783868528220

Volkswagen Golf

A title in the historic Nada catalogue series, this time on the Volkswagen Golf, a cult car. The models under the microscope are the classics, those of the first series, including the variants like the Van, Caddy, Rabbit, Cabriolet and right through to the South African Golf Citi, which was a German first series Golf produced until just a few years ago.

The book's layout is the traditional one, with period photographic material and an organisation of chapters on the different models - as well as a brief guide to restoring the cars and their critical points.

Product details

Author:	Marco Batazzi
Details:	96 pages, 10.6 x 9.7 in (27 x 24.5 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	76 b&w and 90 color photos
Language:	Italian
Publisher:	Giorgio Nada Editore (I, 2015)
Series:	Le vetture che hanno fatto la storia
ISBN:	9788879116145