You might think that the Mk4 was the first Volkswagen Golf with four-wheel drive, but that wasn’t the case. The first four-wheel-drive Golf predates the Mk4 by six years and two generations, because it was actually the Mk2 Golf. Not just one version of the Mk2, either. There were a few four-wheel drive models, starting with the Syncro. I can vaguely recall something about the Syncro deep in my memory banks, but I wouldn’t say it registered highly. It didn’t register highly with buyers, either, because they didn’t sell many.
For a start, it cost about 30 per cent more than the equivalent front-wheel drive version, and there were more than a few compromises on top. The rear seats were moved forward 30mm and the boot floor was raised to accommodate the driven rear axle. All of which meant cramped rear seats and a boot that was about three-quarters the size of a regular Golf’s. The 1.8-litre engine only had 97hp as well, and with the extra losses of the four-wheel drive plus another 160kg of weight to carry about, the performance wasn't great. They even had to lower the gearing to give it a little more pep .
That didn’t stop Volkswagen from carrying on using its new four-wheel drive system in other versions, though. Golf fans will likely recall the Rallye, an homologation special that solved the power issue. It used a G-Lader supercharger bolted on, which, by the way, is where the G prefix comes from with Volkswagen’s later supercharged products. That boosted the 1.8-litre eight-valve motor to a much healthier 160hp. It had flared arches and rectangular headlights to distinguish it, but it was about twice the price of a regular GTI, which was a lot. Around 5,000 were made, and didn't prevent VW from building an even more expensive version: the famously rare Golf Limited. Just 71 of these were produced, with the same supercharged engine but with the 16-valve head. That pushed out more than 200hp, making it the most powerful Golf until the launch of the R32.
At least there’s some logic to those two sportier offerings. Despite their exorbitant pricing they served an obvious brand purpose. A far more bizarre twist in the Golf’s four-wheel-drive tale is this Country. I've never come across one of these before. There certainly wasn’t one of those “Oh yeah, that rings a bell” moments when I saw this one in the classifieds - which is great. It means I am learning a whole lot of stuff I didn’t know, and hopefully that means it will appeal to few PHers as well.
The Golf Country, as you can see, is a Golf with headlamp protectors, sump guard, chrome bull bars, a swinging rear-mounted spare wheel, and jacked-up suspension offering 21cm of ground clearance to go with its Syncro four-wheel drive. It isn't the first crossover SUV by any means, but I think we can all agree it's a bit 'out there' for the period.
As far as I can gather, the body came off the standard Volkswagen line at Wolfsburg, and was then transported to Austria. Graz, to be specific, and the Steyr-Daimler-Puch manufacturing company. Steyr-Daimler-Puch had developed the four-wheel-drive system in collaboration with Volkswagen, and it had the job of turning the standard Golfs into crazy Golfs. The four-wheel-drive, by the way, consisted of a viscous coupling that could manage the torque between front and rear axles, shoving up to 48 per cent of it to the rear. In case you’re thinking all the Country's additions were for a bit of soft roading at best, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The Country had a full secondary steel chassis bolted on underneath for added strength.
They only made 7,000 or so, and apparently most found homes with buyers who had homes in the Alps and needed a car that could deal with the conditions. Being saddled with the basic eight-valve GTI motor and no supercharger, though, I imagine it would’ve been quite wheezy on some of the steeper passes. As far as I can tell, this is the Chrome Edition, for obvious reasons, and they built just 558 of those.
It’s a rare car then. Whether that accounts for the asking price is up to a prospective buyer. You could argue it’s a Mk2 Golf GTI that’s been ruined, and objectively speaking you’d probably be right. But if you are someone who’s drawn to the unusual and like the fact that no one’s ever likely to pull up next to you in the same car, then you probably won’t give two hoots about that. I am just happy to have chanced upon it and learned a whole chunk of history about one of the most popular cars in the world. To me, that counts as a good day.
Specification | Volkswagen Golf (Mk2) Country
Engine: 1,781cc, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated
Transmission: Five-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 112 @ 5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 113 @ 3,100rpm
CO2: N/A
MPG: N/A
Recorded mileage: 94,000
Year registered: 1992
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £20,995
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