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Wörthersee 2016: Mk1 Superthread

[See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com]

Sadly, the treffen has ended. The good news is, though, that it’s now time to take a look back at some of the best that the lake had to offer, which, today, means Mk1s.

Way back in 1974, this little hatch helped pull Volkswagen out of financial difficulties after sales of the Beetle started dropping. With the help of Audi’s front-wheel-drive and water cooling technologies, and a classic design penned by Giugiaro, the Mk1 Golf not only kept Volkswagen relevant, but helped them lead the way in the coming years.

This year, of course, was the 40th anniversary of the GTI, which started with the Mk1 and helped revolutionize the motoring world. Volkswagen celebrated the car’s birthday at Wörthersee with a cake and a record lap time around the Nurburgring’s Nordschleife.

Many Mk1s made the trek to Wörthersee for the occasion and here are just a few of our favorites.

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KAMEI produce all kinds of accessories for cars these days, but back in the ‘70s they were all about performance. That’s why they sponsored a wide variety of race cars, driven by  top drivers like Keke Rosberg and Ari Vatanen. This reproduction of the famous Mk1 KAMEI race car gets all the important details right, including the great and wonderfully dated KAMEI livery.

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The Mk1 Golf differs from the Beetle pretty substantially, but it was originally designed to replace the much-loved bug. This Golf gets at some of the groovy ‘60s surfer culture that made the Beetle such a cultural force. From the big retro wheels, to the lei hanging from the mirror, to the surf board on top, this Golf is a nice homage to the car the preceded it and a good looking car in its own right.

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Dubs have, to a degree, fallen out of favor. But this car reminds us of why they were popular and proves that, done well, they can still look great. Everything about this Golf comes together to make something that just looks right.

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This car is so clean that the picture squeaks. One of the GTIs featured on Volkswagen’s official stage, this Mk1 is a great example of current trends for the model and a fine reminder of why many still think that it’s the best looking GTI.

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Finally this cream-colored Mk1 strips nearly everything away and reminds us of the simple beauty of Giugiaro’s design. The modifications to this car highlight what was already a very, very, very handsome car. No wonder it’s lasted 42 years.

Disagree with our picks? Take a look through our gallery above and let us know which ones you like best in comments.

The post Wörthersee 2016: Mk1 Superthread appeared first on VWVortex.



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