Description
The Golf Rallye was an homologation special from the late 1980’s, marrying the all-wheel drive system from the Golf Synchro to a Golf GTi 1. 8-litre engine, to which Volkswagen’s engineers had added a G-Lader supercharger. The engine capacity was reduced from the stock 1781 cc to 1764 cc, so that it would comply with the FIA’s 3. 0-litre class limit (a 1. 7x multiplication factor was applied to forced induction motors). The G-Lader engine made 158 hp and 166 lb ft of torque, far more than the stock GTi and 5, 000 Rallye were built.
In 1989, Volkswagen UK decided to get involved in British rally sport, and two Golf Rallye cars - the model already having been homologated - are known to have been imported for this purpose. One car was supplied to Gilders of Sheffield and prepared by Power Engineering of Uxbridge. The second was run by the Shell Gemini team, prepared by SBG Sport Limited.
It is the second of these cars that is on offer here, which was specifically built for and driven by former Volkswagen Junior Team Golf GTi driver Steve Davies. It first appeared in the initial rally of the 1990 National Championships - the Vauxhall Sport Rally in North Wales - and campaigned in the Shell Gemini colours of white and blue. It only completed one rally in this guise however, reportedly outperformed by the likes of the Ford Cosworth and the project was shelved.
Following this early retirement, the vehicle was re-introduced to the world of rallying at the beginning of 1991, in support of the newly introduced Shell Rally Scholarship scheme. The car was repainted in Shell Helix colours (red) with David Llewellin as the named driver. Although not driven further in competition, it was used to publicise the Scholarship scheme. Following this, the Rallye was in the ownership of John Mulholland in Northern Ireland, from whom it was purchased by the current owner in 1994. The car then had a little competition use, being campaigned in the Channel Islands (1994 & 1995 Jersey Rallies and Guernsey Val des Terres hillclimb), but no further racing use since. It has been sparingly driven locally in Guernsey, dry stored and well cared for.
Mechanically, the supercharged 4-cylinder engine is mated to a standard five speed gearbox, passing power to the car’s four-wheel drive transmission. The car runs the original SBG Sport rally preparation, including Revolution five-spoke alloy wheels, fitted with wheel studs instead of bolts; Bilstein gas shocks together with spherical bearing top mounts. Critical bolts on the rear differential are lock-wired to prevent them coming loose. The car runs and drives very well, just as might be expected from a well-cared for, little used vehicle.
This is a professionally built, competition-prepared vehicle - the bodyshell is fully seam welded. There is a sump guard fitted and quick-lift rally sill jack together with oversized mud flaps and external electrical cut-off. Generally in very good condition, the bodywork does show some signs of its active competition history, but this is limited and confirms the light competitive use. The paintwork is original – the red Shell Helix colour scheme - although it was first finished in Shell Gemini colours of white with blue stripes, evidence of which can be seen under and inside the car.
This original and unmolested rally car is much as it was in 1991 and, having covered less than 10, 000 miles in total, is probably the most original and unaltered works-supported Golf Rallye of the period. The Rallye was the subject of a feature article in the April 2017 edition of Volkswagen Driver magazine.
The Rallye is accompanied with documentation including some competition history, the MSA logbook and model-specific owner’s manual.
The car is currently Guernsey registered and we can assist with shipping and importation processes if required. Any import duties and transport costs would be additional to the price listed.
