When people think about Volkswagen’s GTI, several models likely come to mind: the original European Golf GTI, the fun 1983-84 North American Rabbit GTI, or many of those cars’ successors. But how often does one think of the 1979-80 Canadian market Rabbit GTI? Here’s an ad to give this obscure model a bit of recognition.
People’s memories may gloss over this car for a few reasons. For one, it was a low-volume Canada-only model that lasted only two years. But also, this GTI had no more performance credentials than the plainest Rabbit Custom. It was a trim package… a GTI from the depths of the Malaise Era. While this may look like a performance car, it was less of a Grand Tourer than just a Good Try at an Imitation.
Shortly after the Rabbit/Golf was introduced in the mid 1970s, European markets received a high performance GTI model, featuring a souped-up fuel injected engine (110 hp), a sport suspension, and upgraded trim. However, North American consumers could only look wistfully across the Atlantic Ocean, as VW seemed content to let the Scirocco carry the brand’s performance torch in the US and Canada.
As was the case in much of the world, plain, economical Rabbits became popular in Canada, with the Canadian market receiving Custom, Deluxe and Diesel variants.
Then, in 1979, a new trim level came along – the GTI. But while its European cousin was a performance model, this Canadian version constituted a trim upgrade. Included in the GTI package were exterior enhancements such as a spoiler, black bumpers and fender flares, and slightly wider wheels and tires. Interior improvements brought full instrumentation, a “sports steering wheel,” plusher carpet and a stereo cassette.
The GTI’s most distinguishing feature was the plaid interior – vaguely reminiscent of Scirocco upholstery from a few years earlier.
Plaid or not, the Rabbit GTI wasn’t a strong seller. Canadian VW showrooms carried the GTI for 1979 and 1980, and then it quietly slipped away. For the next two years, Canadian Rabbits came only in L, LS, diesel and convertible versions.
Finally, in 1983, Canadian and American consumers were treated to a more proper GTI – the car we commonly associate with this nameplate.
In retrospect, the 1979-80 Rabbit GTI may seem more of an oddity than a refreshingly fun or sensible offering. However, by 1980 standards, black bumpers and racy upholstery were as good as many customers could expect for a practical, reasonably-priced car. Looking at this model charitably, once could say that Volkswagen at least gave some North Americans a taste of genuine GTI life during this period. Plus, if one defines fun as something rare and nearly forgotten, then this “imitation” GTI ad just might rank pretty high on the excitement scale.
The 78-horsepower injected 1.6-liter Rabbits of the late ’70s didn’t give up much performance relative to the US-market Rabbit GTI. Depending on how much heavy equipment the Canadian GTI came with and the choice of gearing, it may well have been a very strong performer for its class.
That engine was only available in the US for one year, 1977. In 1978, it was replaced by the smaller and weaker 70 hp 1.5 L engine.
I’ve got a Car and Driver that says that the 1.6 injection engine was available as an option in Rabbits or on higher trim-level Rabbits during the 1980 model year, when they were also standard on the Jetta and Scirocco. I think you’re right that it was only the standard Rabbit engine briefly.
In 1980, 1.6 fuel injection was mandatory in California for the gas Rabbit, therefore even the base Rabbit has it!
Truth I had/have a 77 with the 78hp 1.6l engine a Gti trans swap and euro downpipe. I tell you what that little car ripped. Still have the car with a different motor now. But that 1.6 was so much fun wish I never took that engine out!!!!!
Never knew about this. We were all lusting for the Euro-GTI here, and meanwhile our neighbors to the north were getting one, at least in name and style. And in those days when we were dependent on domestic publications that ignored Canadian cars, this went undocumented here.
Hard to believe, but by 1980, the Rabbit was no longer new. Competition was sweeping that market. Rabbits were not trouble free. There were reasons to consider the new Mazda, Ford, Dodge, Plymouth and even Fiat versions of the Golf/Rabbit.
So what does VW do? Dress it up. Put out at pick up truck version. Add a diesel option. Keep the Rabbit in the run against all the newer competition. VW offered the Jetta, which was just a well-sorted out Rabbit with necessary touches, so that a trunk could be grafted onto it’s hatch. But the company famous for not changing their cars, had to start changing to keep up with the 1980s.
The GTI was a marvel, but I preferred their Scirocco.
A key factor not mentioned is that Canadian market Rabbits were German built, unlike the US market Rabbits built in Pennsylvania. So all of those exterior and interior bits were shared with the European GTI, just not the drive train. I assume that by 1980, Canada’s emission controls made that impossible?
Also, the NA Scirocco had the same weak-chested 70 hp 1.5L engine starting in 1978 as did the US Rabbit, so its performance wasn’t really any better.
The US Scirocco reverted to 1.6 liters for 1979 before expanding to 1.7 liters for the last model year of the MK1.
Nice, I didn’t know that these existed.
But since all we have in the lead picture is an imitation, my eye is actually more drawn to the structures in the background. Thinking that the photo might actually have been taken in Canada, I am wondering if anyone can identify those buildings. They look decidedly Expo 67 to me, but I don’t actually think so. An outdoor roller rink (perhaps that converts to an ice rink in the winter?)? I do love that wacky 1970s architecture.
Photo was taken at Ontario Place, a waterfront theme park on Lake Ontario, opened at Toronto’s waterfront in 1971.
Surprised, they didn’t clean up/edit out the mud(?), that appears between the interlocking brick seams in the lower right. Lends the impression of fluid leaks.
In the Finns ad, not the better known De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, rather the turboprop-powered, De Havilland DHC-2T Turbo Beaver.
Ontario Place.
Ontario Place outdoor roller skating park, circa late 1970s. You can see, right in the middle of the pic, where the Rabbit was parked for the photoshoot.
More trivia… When my parents took me to Ontario Place for the first time in July 1981, I still remember ‘A Life of Illusion’ by Joe Walsh, was playing on the speakers at the outdoor skating park. A #34 Billboard Hot 100 hit, released in May 1981. A VW Rabbit convertible appears at the end of the music video.
Neat! And it sure seems that the same spots of dirty pavers are in this picture just like in the Rabbit ad.
It seems absolutely bizarre, a ‘stain’ on easily replaced interlocking brick, would become a permanent feature at a theme park. But, Ontario Place was built, and run, by the Ontario government. So, less than pristine maintenance, with a government-run business model, may have been a by-product. I remember the park, having a less than perfect appearance, from my few visits there. Though, I am surprised, Volkswagen retained that unsightly patch in their ad.
Having worked in advertising, there has been a greater pursuit of ‘perfection’ in digital imagery, ever since the introduction of photo manipulation programs. Photo correction being much easier, than then. As artists now look for details like this, that ideally would be corrected.
Aha – thanks! I figured the pictures were taken someplace significant, and like Jeff, I got an Expo 67 vibe from the designs, but couldn’t figure it out.
And I agree how odd it is that the pavers weren’t cleaned up before the photoshoot – definitely jumped out at me too.
Though attractive through the mid 1970s, the design of Ontario Place did not age well, IMO.
This is all new to me, I had no idea that this variant had existed. It is too bad they didn’t offer the opposite – the German GTI’s guts in a plain Rabbit wrapper. That could have been cool, like a modern pocket Road Runner-type car.
What the US did get instead of a Rabbit GTI was the even more baffling 1978-79 Audi Fox GTI which was a two door Fox (Audi 80 B1) with a trim package. These had the same 79hp 1.6L I4 and 4 speed as the regular Fox and VW Dasher and the same performance.
Almost completely forgotten was that the US got a pre-GTI sporty model called the Rabbit S in 1982 (and maybe 1981, don’t remember). Like the 80-81 Canadian GTI, the S was largely a trim package that incorporated GTI-like red and black trim, sportier wheels, and distinct upholstery and sew pattern on the seats, though I recall beige vinyl rather than plaid cloth (which didn’t make it into an American GTI until the Mk5 version in 1986, although the Jetta GLI had it in the last year of the Mk1 in 1984).
Mk5 in 2006 that should be not 1986
A neighbour in our townhouse complex decades ago loaned me their Rabbit GTI as my car was in the shop. This would have been 1984-85. The car put a smile on my face and was the first time I had this type of model. As a young couple with a couple of kids, this was certainly was a lot of fund to drive even though the extent of my trip was from home to downtown. The owners were a Yuppie couple and he, was not a car guy.
My dad bought one of these new, a 1979 model. I remember his reasons: he’d probably prefer a Scirocco but he couldn’t fit comfortably in one (he was quite tall) and he really liked the Recaro designed seats in the GTI, so he chose a red one with no optional sunroof. One year we drove (or rather he, I was not old enough to drive) to Road America at Elkhart Lake and the GTI created quite a lot of buzz from American VW enthusiasts who thought it was a Euro Golf GTI, but confusion set it because of the “Rabbit GTI” nameplate on the rear hatch.
I remember dad liking the GTI, especially the comfortable and supportive seats, but he traded it a year or so later for a new Audi 5000 turbo, a car that he also liked despite its abysmal reliability.
I never knew about this Canadian GTI either, and I had a 1975 Rabbit followed by a 1979. So Canada received German-built Rabbits in 1979-80? When did they start getting the Westmoreland “Malibu-ized” versions?
I can confirm that the 1979 model I had was less powerful than even the first-year 1975.
Canada got the Westmorland Rabbits starting in 1981. Unfavourable exchange rates had made the German Rabbits too expensive to compete.
In the US you could still get a German Rabbit in the form of the convertible/Cabriolet until 1992.
I’m still driving my German made 1980 rabbit GTI. It still turns heads. Enjoyed reading about it’s history. Thanks