Midrand, South Africa - Volkswagen on Monday announced the end of production in South Africa of the iconic Golf 1 after 31 years. "Today we are announcing the end of this legend called the A1 Golf or Citi-Golf," Volkswagen South Africa managing director David Powels said in a belated farewell to a car that has gained cult status in the country.
The last Citi-Golf rolled off the production line in Volkswagen's Uitenhage plant, Eastern Cape province in August, Powels told a press conference.
The Golf 1 was relaunched as the Citi-Golf in South Africa in 1984 as an entry-level car for first-time buyers. Elsewhere the Golf 1 was replaced by the roomier but pricier Golf 2 but Volkswagen SA opted to keep the Golf 1 and splash it in bright colours.
The red, yellow and blue cars with the white stripe and white bumpers, targeted the youth market with slogans such as "Forever Young" and also became popular among older motorists as a second car.
Over 25 years, Volkswagen produced 377,484 units of the Citi-Golf, making it the most successful hatchback ever in South Africa.
At the peak of the local car market in 2006, Volkswagen SA sold 26,800 units of the car, or around 2233 units a month. By July 2009, that number had fallen to 1,690 as recession, and tighter access to credit for consumers, smashed demand for new cars.
Powels insisted however that demand was not a factor in Volkswagen's decision to take a wrecking ball to the Citi-Golf.
Rather, it was "simply no longer financially or commercially viable" to maintain a platform that produces only 20,000-25,000 cars a year, he said.
None of the 5,100 Volkswagen workers in Uitenhage have lost their jobs as a result of the decision, he added.
Volkswagen was tightlipped on what would replace the Citi-Golf while promising to unveil its plans for a "comprehensive range of products for all (price) segments" by end of March 2010.
The plant is undergoing a major rebuild to reduce its number of car platforms from five to two.
What is certain is that the successor to the Citi-Golf, the cheapest version of which retails for 84,700 rand (7,635 euros) will not be as cheap, both Powels and communications manager Bill Stephens said.
As a send-off to the Citi-Golf, Volkswagen unveiled a limited edition Citi MK1 in black and shadow blue.
One thousand units of the car, which will have a unique number from 1 to 1000 that will be embossed on the passenger side dashboard, will retail for 113,500 rands.
