The Golf Cabriolet that was never built

Here is something that hardly anyone knows: the first ‘Generation I' prototype of the Golf Cabriolet – like the new Golf Cabriolet – had no fixed roll bar. That is reason enough for a brief historical review and a closer look at the first prototype of the 1970s. The cabriolet was created at Karmann in Osnabrück. Today, the plants belong to Volkswagen. So, like all previous generations, the new Golf Cabriolet will once again be produced in Osnabrück.

A leap back through time: the Golf experienced a fantastic launch in 1974, and in 1976 the model line-up was extended with the GTI that would later become legendary as well as a pioneering diesel model. In the same year, it became clear that the Golf would storm the last bastion of the Beetle – as a cabriolet version. "As soon as the Golf appeared on the scene, Karmann entered into talks with Volkswagen about developing the cabriolet prototype. In parallel, Volkswagen began its study work," recalls Anton Konrad, who was Volkswagen's PR director back then. A cabriolet based on a compact? Even though the segment of four-seat cabriolets was as good as dead in Europe since the end of the 1960s? This was not really a risky gamble, rather it was a logical step, according to Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design of the Volkswagen brand today: "Only the best cars that stand out from the masses are viable candidates for a cabriolet. And that is why the Golf I – at that time the most expressive Volkswagen model – had the power to instil new life to the segment."

In December 1976, the first prototype was created at Karmann; it was intended to assume this role. The white cabriolet had the angular bootlid of the saloon; its cornerstone was the famous C-pillar crease penned by Giorgio Giugiaro, the designer of the first Golf. "Unlike on the Beetle Cabriolet, the windscreen and triangular window were also adopted from the base model here. Finally, the Golf Cabrio had to be sold at an attractive price," explains Rüdiger Folten, a member of the Volkswagen design team since 1973. Even without a fixed roof, the prototype of the A1C – the car's internal code name – exhibited all of the key traits of the Golf.

The mechanical design of the top stacked remarkably flat on the short rear section – but at a price that is only justifiable on prototypes. That is because the large rear window glass is fastened along its lower border with hinges and simply folds inward when the roof is lowered. The rear side windows could be rolled down completely, and they cut a very good figure with their chrome frames when fully cranked up. Yet, all of these aspects are just side notes compared to the characteristic that gave the later production model its nickname: the "handle" of the "strawberry basket" is missing.

So, how did the roll bar make its way into the later production model? Anton Konrad provides the answer: "At that time, vehicle safety was a prominent topic at Volkswagen. Our head of development at the time, Professor Ernst Fiala, was later known as the "Pope of Safety." He insisted that the bar be installed, in part with an eye toward upcoming legislation in the USA."

As an aside, the roll bar-free prototype harbours an interesting secret: hidden behind the rear side trim panels are heavy-duty threaded fittings for mounting a roll bar; right from the start, tests were conducted on both versions, and in the end a modified version with a roll bar prevailed. When the first production models rolled off the Osnabrück assembly line in June 1979, the cabriolet looked as though it had been cast from a single mould: it had an elaborate yet uncomplicated roof design with a 5 layer fabric-lined top, an attractive smooth surface at its rear, and it offered plenty of open-air fun with 4 full-size seats at an affordable price. In parallel, Karmann continued to build the Beetle Cabrio for about 6 months longer. That is because when news of its imminent demise made the rounds, there was a tremendous rise in orders. "The Beetle community even came together for a funeral procession in Wolfsburg," says Anton Konrad. He sent a sausage booth out to the demonstrators instead of plant security, and he invited the spokesperson of the Beetle friends for a test drive in the Golf Cabrio. Bottom line: "He was amazed at how much more technically advanced it was than his beloved Beetle."

The rest is history: the Golf I Cabrio was a global success, with total sales of 388,522. And by the time it was replaced by the Golf III Cabrio (1993), discussions of the roll bar took on a new tone. The fact is that the "handle" had long matured from a mere annoyance to an aesthetic style element – and the roll bar-free prototype remained on the drawing board. Until 1 March 2011. That is when Volkswagen presented the new Golf Cabriolet at the Geneva Motor Show – without a roll bar thanks to automatically deploying rollover protection modules. And that, if you will, ennobled the prototype of the very first Golf Cabrio prototype 35 years on.

 
Notes:
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