roger@fritz.UUCP (06/19/84)
[] I don't know if VW put the golf-ball type shift knobs on the Golf fully cognizant of the humor, or not. I do know that the golf-ball type shift knob is very popular among World Rally Championship drivers, and has been for some time. That is to say, VW did not invent the device. Roger Webster
stank@uiucdcs.UUCP (06/23/84)
#N:uiucdcs:7700041:000:535
uiucdcs!stank Jun 22 16:19:00 1984
The name "golf" has no connection with the game. Rather, it
is named after the gulf ("golf" in German) stream, or at least the
winds associated with it. The other cars introduced at
the same time as the golf, i.e., the "passat" (aka "dasher")
and the scirroco (sp?) are also named after other winds.
V.W. was obviously trying to play up their cars' quickness (as in
"they go like the wind"), but must have thought that the message
would be lost here.
S. Krolikoski
U. of Illinoissmwilliams@wateng.UUCP (Steve Williams) (06/27/84)
>The name "golf" has no connection with the game. Rather, it >is named after the gulf ("golf" in German) stream, or at least the >winds associated with it. The other cars introduced at >the same time as the golf, i.e., the "passat" (aka "dasher") >and the scirroco (sp?) are also named after other winds. >V.W. was obviously trying to play up their cars' quickness (as in >"they go like the wind"), but must have thought that the message >would be lost here. Actually, this is incorrect ... the reason that the Golf is so named and has been so named for a while ( in Europe ) is that the engines (and recently, also the suspension) are manufactured by Golf Engineering located just outside of Stuttgart. It started out as an aftermarket firm dedicated to upgrading the Rabbit but because of the incredible popularity with the European market, VW almost immediately approached Golf with an offer to upgrade all Rabbits ... this led to the complete changeover of the name from Rabbit-Golf ( the previous aftermarket name ) to Golf, the only name on the car ( of course VW still has it's name there too ). The cosmetic changes that North America will see is not due to new changes to the rabbit but simply due to the adaptation of the European style. Steve Williams UUCP ...!{ utzoo,decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!watmath!wateng!smwilliams ARPA: smwilliams%wateng%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa -- UUCP ...!{ utzoo,decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!watmath!wateng!smwilliams ARPA: smwilliams%wateng%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
gek@ihuxj.UUCP (glenn kapetansky) (06/28/84)
>> ... this led to the complete changeover of the name from >>Rabbit-Golf ( the previous aftermarket name ) to Golf, the only >>name on the car ( of course VW still has it's name there too ). >>The cosmetic changes that North America will see is not due to >>new changes to the rabbit but simply due to the adaptation of the >>European style. Actually, that last statement is not correct either. The Golf II is going to be the Golf here. The Golf II is a complete redesign of the Golf (Rabbit here). It is wider and longer, with different engine(s) (better economy and performance) and more interior room (different decor inside, too). -- glenn kapetansky "The time has come", the Walrus said, "To talk of many things..." ...ihnp4!ihu1j!gek
opus@drutx.UUCP (ShanklandJA) (07/04/84)
> the reason that the Golf is so named and has been so named for > a while ( in Europe ) is that the engines (and recently, also > the suspension) are manufactured by Golf Engineering located > just outside of Stuttgart. It started out as an aftermarket > firm dedicated to upgrading the Rabbit but because of the > incredible popularity with the European market, VW almost > immediately approached Golf with an offer to upgrade all > Rabbits ... this led to the complete changeover of the name > from Rabbit-Golf ( the previous aftermarket name ) to Golf, > the only name on the car ( of course VW still has it's [sic] > name there too ). I don't know about Golf Engineering outside of Stuttgart, but there certainly never was a car named a "Rabbit" or "Rabbit-Golf" in Germany; VW called it Golf there from day 1. Jim Shankland ..!ihnp4!druxy!opus