A Newcastle car dealership purports that the listing of a Volkswagen Citi Golf at a hair under R1m was not intended to “break the internet”.
The example is a unit of the high-performance 1.8i R version, described with a mere 55km on its odometer, registered in 2010.
It is advertised at R999,900 and is currently the most expensive Citi Golf to be found on the popular used car classifieds website it was listed on.
Comment on social media was divided, with some dismissing the prospect as unrealistic and others predicting the rarity factor of the R and the “time-warp” condition of the specimen could hold appeal in the eyes of serious collectors.
Ebrahim Docrat, sales and marketing director for the dealership peddling the Citi, said the responses from enthusiasts and collectors had been strong — in addition to expected “trolling” endured.
“The vehicle has a remarkably clean and well-documented dealer service history; it has been cherished by us, with minimal use and careful maintenance,” he said.
Docrat said the vehicle’s rarity, condition and collector interest make a full-price sale a realistic outcome.
“These models have real character and heritage, representing an iconic part of automotive culture; well-preserved examples are becoming harder to find.”
According to Docrat, the dealership has previously sold low-mileage, limited-edition Volkswagen models of a similar nature.
“Each sale helps us better understand what collectors value, and this experience reinforces how much interest there is in these standout vehicles.”
We sourced the original press release and specifications sheet for the Citi 1.8i R from Volkswagen Group Africa’s public relations office, dated October 11 2006. The manufacturer billed it as “the most affordable performance car on the South African market” at the time.
“The Citi 1.8i R will appeal to enthusiasts looking for a real performance package without compromising on specification, comfort and safety,” said the release.
With hindsight, its safety credentials were to be taken with a pinch of salt, given that by 2006 the original Golf 1 design was already 32 years old, having first launched globally in 1974.
In case you forgot, the Citi was born in 1984, a continuation of the Golf 1 series, positioned as a budget-friendly option beneath the second-generation Golf.
At launch it was priced from R118,000 — using an inflation calculator, this is equivalent to about R324,000 today. It carried a three-year/120,000km warranty.
The spiritual successor to the sporty Citi R would be the Polo Vivo GT, which currently retails for R365,100.
The Citi R looked the part, with a fully integrated body kit comprising wider fender arches, a rear spoiler, a double-exhaust system, side skirts and 15″ alloys with a six-spoke design.
Inside, it had a three-spoke steering wheel, silver dials, silver foot pedals, and a sportier seat design than the rest of the Citi models, as well as standard tinted glass. A transponder immobiliser, childproof rear door locks, remote central locking and an alarm system were also included.
Its chassis was slightly fettled. The suspension was lowered, and it had a diagonally linked dual-circuit hydraulic brake system topped with red disc callipers and self-adjusting rear drums. It retained the trailing arm and torsion beam rear axle.
In an era preceding the standard fitment of infotainment screens, the R’s audio entertainment offering was limited to its front-loading CD MP3 player with four speakers.
The R’s naturally aspirated 1,780cc four-cylinder was good for 90kW/162Nm transmitted via a five-speed manual. Volkswagen claimed that the front-driving hatchback could dispatch the 0-100km/h dash in 8.5 seconds.
For reference, its modern-day successor, the Polo Vivo GT, has a quoted a 0-100km/h time of 9.7 seconds. Top speed for the Citi 1.8i R was listed as 187km/h.
Despite its pocket-rocket status, the feisty old Golf boasted a fuel consumption claim of 6.8l/100km on the extra-urban cycle and 8.9l/100km combined.
According to a historic table from the mineral resources and energy department, a litre of 95 unleaded (inland) cost R6.18, which means replenishing the 49l tank would have set owners back just over R302. That works out to about R829 in 2026.
In November 2009 production of the Citi Golf came to an end, after 25 years on the production line. A total of 377,484 units were produced — a figure that goes to 516,384 if one includes the original Golf 1 that was also built in Kariega from 1978, before the Citi nomenclature.
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