Description
We are thrilled to offer this highly original, 48, 000km, VW Golf Rallye on behalf of a fantastic GQ client.
The VW Golf Rallye came about as a result of the end of Group B rallyng as an attempt by VW to keep the Golf competitive whilst other manufacturers pivoted from Group B into the Group A category that the Golf had successfully been competing in.
Group A regulations stipulated that you had to build and sell a minimum of 5000 road-going examples of a car to homologate it for competition. In response to this requirement and the increased competition VW built just over 5000 Rallyes, all left-hand drive, on the MK2 Golf platform.
The major modifications made to turn a Golf into a Rallye were the addition of a G60 supercharger to a slightly downsized 1. 8 version of the Golf engine, increasing power to 160bhp and torque to 166ft/ lb, the addition of a Syncro four-wheel-drive system, as well as a very functional bodykit.
Late to the party and up against the formidable Lancia Integrale the Golf Rallye wasn't a terribly successful competition car, with a best result of 3rd in New Zealand in 1990, but it did result in one of the rarest and most collectable VW road cars of all time.
The car we are pleased to market is a real timewarp example being unmodified and unrestored and having covered just 30, 000 miles (48, 000 km) in the hands of it's 3 previous owners. The vehicle was purchased by its first owner in 1990 from a VW dealership in Belgium, where the car remained, being serviced every year until it was sold to its second, German, owner in 2007. The car was then bought by a German dealer and sold to our client in 2023 who found it after a 10 year search for the right car.
The Tornado red paintwork is in fabulous condition, with one minor blemish on the bonnet where someone has got over enthusiastic with a machine polisher. All decals & badges are in great condition and the glass is all original. The underside is in excellent condition and has recently benefited from being dry ice blasted. Wheels are also unmarked with recent tyres fitted.
The interior of this car is wonderfully unmarked and comes with the extremely sought after electric Recaro seats which were an optional upgrade from new. The car also has the optional VW Gamma Radio/ CD player with Aktive sound system.
All the original booklets have been kept with the car since its first purchase along with the spare key and there is a comprehensive file of paperwork showing the work undertaken by each of the owners.
The Golf Rally is an extremely rare car, but finding one with such low mileage and in such cherished, unmolested condition is vanishingly rare. The current owner has agonised over the sale of this car for months and has only reluctantly decided to let the car go as he feels it is too good to use and is unable to justify keeping it as part of his wider collection. He now wants to find a new owner that will cherish it as passionately as he has.
If anyone would like further information or to start with a video call please reach out via your preferred method.
