Will rare Volkswagen Citi Golf find new home for a cool R1-million?
A VW Citi Golf Mk1 Limited Edition, with 29km on the clock, took bidding at an auction in Bryanston last week to R550 000.
This lofty number that many enthusiasts thought would see the iconic car go to a new owner. But the reserve price was not met and rumour has it that this number was almost double that a staggering R1-million.
The original owner would have paid R113 500 for the car off the dealer's floor in November 2009. According to a South African inflation calculator, R100 in 2009 is worth R216.76 in 2025. And this translates into a price of only R246 022 today. But we all know that nothing over the past 16 years has gone up by the rate of inflation.
ALSO READ: Very rare VW Citi Golf set to fetch big bucks at local auction
Low mileage key
Rather take a basic return on a R100 000 investment at a local bank, using a rate of 9%. Then the value of this VW Citi Golf Mk1 Limited Edition rises to a more realistic R450 000.
Maybe the price offered at R550 000 is not a bad one, but the real value with a car like this is that it's number three of the last 1 000 Citi Golfs ever produced. And when you add in the fact that it is like new with only delivery mileage on the clock, R1-million might just be the magic number. Time will tell.
The introduction of the VW Citi Mk1 in 2009 was a send-off and the closing of the final chapter of the best-ever selling hatchback in South African motoring history at the time. Citi had provided South African motorists with a fun, unique, affordable driving package for 25 years. It had defied all marketing norms and theories of how long a lifecycle of model in a brand can continue.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Iconic Basil Green Ford Capri Perana sells for R700k at Johannesburg auction
Volkswagen of South Africa introduced the Golf 1 in 1978. And the Citi Golf made its first appearance on South African roads in 1984. The Citi was a more affordable alternative to bigger more expensive 'Jumbo' Golf IIs that hit our roads in the same year.
Various Citi Golf editions
The VW Citi Golf stayed fresh over the years by the ongoing introduction of special and limited-edition models such as the Designa, CTI, Deco, Sonic, Wolf, Bafana Bafana, R Line, Xcite, Billabong and GTS.
The Citi Golf Mk1 features the 74kW 1.6-litre fuel injected engine and not the iconic 1.8-litre powertrain from the legendary GTi and CTi. It also came fitted with 15-inch, gunmetal painted alloy wheels; polished exhaust tailpipe, dark taillights, double headlights and chrome highlight around grille.
The interior has sport seats with partial leather, leather steering wheel, the original golf ball gear knob, floor mats with Mk1 logo and red stitching detail throughout. And the car was only available in two colours; Black and Shadow Blue metallic.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
31 minutes ago
- The Citizen
East London wreaks havoc with National Extreme Festival
Early morning wet weather resulted in changeable conditions that saw a series of accidents involving multiple red flags in the various categories. Julian van der Watt took his works Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI to victory in Saturday's opening South African Touring Car race. Photograph: Brandsponential. Adverse weather conditions played havoc with round five of the National Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola at the East London Grand Prix circuit on Saturday. Programme rescheduled Rain overnight and into the early morning left the circuit sodden, with little rivers running over some of the fastest parts. Following no less than two massive accidents in early morning qualifying that requires tyre barriers to be rebuilt, racing only commenced in the early afternoon, forcing the organisers to cut the programme drastically. ALSO READ: National Extreme Festival gives the Zwartkops faithful their wish At the centre of this was the complete cancellation of both SunBet Kawasaki ZX10 Masters races, a reduction in lap count to eight for all the other classes, and a single 'long' race over 12 laps for the Toyota GR Cup. Eventually, with the weather cleared and the track repaired, the event got underway, producing some excellent racing. Touring Cars Premier billing went to the South African Touring Car category, with the day's opening race providing a one-two finish for the works Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI entries of Julian van der Watt and Jagger Robertson. Nathi Msimanga took the final podium place in a rather battered Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla after a crash in practice, leading home Andrew Schofield (Safair BMW 128it), Michael van Rooyen (Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla) and Saood Variawa (Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla). Keegan Campos (Campos Transport BMW 128it) fought with the leaders until the pit straight of the final lap, where his car cut out. Campos heroically pushed it the last 200 metres to the flag, to clinch seventh place championship points. Starting from an inverted grid, van Rooyen led race two all the way, though behind, a mid-race clash between Msimanga and Robertson in the tight complex section prevented another Volkswagen 1-2 finish. Van der Watt was, therefore, second ahead of Schofield, Msimanga, Variawa and a less than pleased Robertson. Not taking the grid was the privateer Toyota Corolla of Siyabonga Mankonkwana after a monstrous accident in the complex in race one that completely destroyed the car, without any harm to the driver. SupaCup Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Genuine Parts SupaPolo) won the opening SupaCup category from Tate Bishop (ANGRI Volkswagen SupaPolo), Dylan Pragji (Styling Auto Volkswagen SupaPolo), Jason Loosemore (Volkswagen Genuine Parts SupaPolo) and Dawie van der Merwe (Toyota Gazoo Racing SupaStarlet). Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Genuine Parts SupaPolo) won both SupaCup races. Photograph: Brandsponential. Mogotsi took race two as well, leading home Bishop, Loosemore, Pragji and Nicolaos Vostanis (Campos Transport SupaPolo). Polo Cup Bradley Liebenberg returned to the Astron Energy Polo Cup arena in an unsponsored Polo, and won race one by a narrow margin from Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5). Bradley Liebenberg returned to the Astron Energy Polo Cup arena on Saturday, and won the race. Brandsponential. They were chased to the flag by Judd Bertholdt (Rookie Cup), Rory Atkinson (Industry Petroleum) and lady racer Tyler Robinson (AF Fans). Wayne Masters (Performance Masters) took the Masters category from John Kruger (Harbot Lubricants), Derek Smalberger (SABERTEK) and Mike Barbaglia (Pabar Polo). GR Cup The one and only GR Cup race, in the GR86 class, went to Jason Coetzee ahead of Kent Swartz and Kanya Ngwenya. Jason Coetzee (Toyota GR86) won the day's only Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup round overall. Photograph: Brandsponential. Runaway championship leader Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) took the GR Yaris media section win from Yaris Cup victory from Phuti Mpayne (TimesLive) and Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine). GR driving instructor Devon Scott won the GR Corolla leg from GR dealers Mario da Sousa and Werner Venter. MSA4 The opening heat for the Investchem MSA4 single-seaters saw numerous spins and off-track excursions, as the drivers of the new cars got to grips with the conditions. KC Ensor-Smith (Investchem MSA4) won both the races for Investchem MSA4 single-seaters. Photograph: Brandsponential. Eventually, the victory went to KC Ensor-Smith (Investchem), leading home Mikel Bezuidenhout, Shrien Naidoo and Karabo Malemela. Ensor-Smith won race two as well, chased to the flag by Naidoo, Bezuidenhout and Malemela. Ending on a low The race day ended early when the second Astron Energy Polo Cup race was red-flagged after two laps. First Rory Atkinson lost his car through the ultra fast Potters Pass sweep and plowed into the tyre barrier. He was unhurt, but the Polo became a lot shorter. On the next lap, Tyler Robinson lost control of her car in the main straight after putting a wheel off into the muddy veld and rolled it at high speed. The young lady crawled from the wreck having escaped injury, but the tyre barrier was knocked down and the organisers were forced to end the meeting before daylight ran out. Staying at the coast The next round of the National Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola will be at the Western Cape Killarney circuit on Saturday, September 13. ALSO READ: National Extreme Festival gives it its all at Aldo Scribante
The Star
33 minutes ago
- The Star
HONOR set to revolutionise South Africa's smartphone market with Magic V5 launch
Masabata Mkwananzi | Published 35 minutes ago Tech powerhouse HONOR is set to shake up South Africa's smartphone market this October with the launch of its cutting-edge foldable device, the Magic V5. At an exclusive media roundtable in Johannesburg, HONOR confirmed that its highly anticipated Magic V5 will be landing in South African stores soon, though the exact release date remains under wraps. One of the standout features of the Magic V5 is its ultra-slim design. When folded, it measures just 8.8mm thick, making it the thinnest foldable phone in the world — even slimmer than the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is 8.9mm. Despite being slightly heavier (217g vs. Samsung's 215g), the difference is hardly noticeable in daily use. While both phones offer smooth 120Hz displays, the Magic V5's cover screen is brighter and easier to read outdoors. It also packs a larger 5820mAh battery with faster charging. Camera-wise, HONOR includes three powerful lenses backed by AI, while Samsung offers a standout 200MP main sensor. In terms of durability, the Magic V5 boasts stronger water and dust resistance (IP58/IP59) and a reinforced hinge design. Both phones run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, so performance is top-tier either way. But for those who value design, battery life, and durability, the Magic V5 might just have the edge. Mark Lei, Managing Director of HONOR South Africa, said the company has seen impressive growth since launching locally in 2021. 'We've seen a 600% increase in sales since 2023, and our goal is to become the number one smartphone brand in South Africa by 2028.' He further explained that the HONOR 400 and 400 Pro will introduce advanced AI-driven features designed to enhance user experience and connectivity. Among these is HONOR Share, a cutting-edge file-sharing function that mirrors the ease and speed of Apple's AirDrop. However, what sets HONOR Share apart is its cross-platform capability; users will be able to transfer files not just between HONOR devices but also with Apple devices, marking a significant step toward greater interoperability in mobile technology. This move reflects HONOR's commitment to creating a more connected ecosystem that meets the diverse needs of South African consumers. The tech giant remained tight-lipped about the official pricing of the Magic V5, but hinted that more details would likely be revealed as the launch date approaches. Consumers can expect the full pricing breakdown to be announced closer to its release in South Africa. The Star [email protected]
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
How South Africa's fruit industry plans to deal with US trade tariffs
Earlier this month The South African reported on how American president Donald Trump, who had previously backed South African farmers, is now imposing tariffs that will affect their livelihoods. A 30% tariff on key exports, including citrus, wine, sugar cane, and beef, will take effect on 1 August. This will all but end the duty-free access South Africa enjoyed under the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA). While citrus exports may avoid major disruption this season, sectors like table grapes and stonefruit are facing a more immediate challenge. With their peak export seasons fast approaching, producers need to act swiftly to mitigate potential losses. South African fruit growers are hoping that late US talks might ease the trade tensions. In the meantime, exporters are being urged to diversify. 'We have to do everything we can to retain our position in the UK and Europe,' said Alwyn Dippenaar, Chairman of the South African Table Grape Industry. According to Fruitnet , markets in Asia and the Middle East are now also high on the radar. Despite recent difficulties in China for South African grape growers, renewed trade cooperation could offer a lifeline. China's move to expand free trade to 53 African countries, including South Africa, may provide much-needed relief and improved competitiveness for local fruit exporters. India, another key market, is also in focus. As such, a senior Indian delegation is expected to visit South Africa soon to fast-track a potential trade agreement. High import tariffs in India have so far hindered some product categories. In response, the local industry is rolling out awareness campaigns for South African apples, pears, citrus, and avocados in the sub-continent. A new campaign led by South African citrus growers meanwhile aims to reposition grapefruit as a vibrant summer fruit in Europe. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
