A video of a rabbit on Volkswagen's social media profiles? As cute as can be, but also strange. Unless the Germans are bringing back the Rabbit.
"The internet is full of cats. Everyone likes cats. We like them, too. But today, we want to honor the rabbit – for a good reason," Volkswagen captions the video of the white rabbit in the grass sniffing around, asking us to stay tuned.
Hours later, the Germans announced that they have been "in the garage working on a very special vehicle." The countdown in the top right corner indicates that only seven days were left until the official unveiling, which means that we are to see what Volkswagen is up to in one week exactly.
We can continue to pretend that we don't know what the Rabbit used to be in the Volkswagen lineup even until the moment the carmaker debuts the upcoming product. But we do, so here it goes.
Photo: Volkswagen | X platform
Volkswagen sold the Golf Mk1 and Mk5 with the Rabbit tag in the United States and Canada. The Mk1 Rabbit made it to the US in 1974. It was essentially a front-engined, front-wheel drive compact car that was available as a gasoline-powered GTI, a diesel GTD starting September 1976, and even as the Caddy van and pickup truck variations.
Volkswagen brought back the Rabbit nameplate in 2006, with the introduction of the Golf Mk5. The lineup started with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, capable of producing 150 horsepower (152 PS) during the first two years on the market. The carmaker upgraded it in 2008, taking it to 170 horsepower (173 PS). A GTI version was also available with a turbocharged 2.0-liter that delivered 197 horsepower (200 PS).
The Germans ditched the Rabbit designation with the sixth generation of the compact car and went on to market it in North America as the Golf, starting the 2010 model year.
In 2019, the seventh generation received a Rabbit Edtion GTI. Only 3,000 units were produced for the US market. 1,000 were in Cornflower blue, 1,000 in Urano Gray, 500 in Black and 500 in White. The Rabbit Edition received the LED lighting package, a Vmax spoiler, rode in 18-inch Pretoria alloys in gloss black, and sported Clark plaid seats with red tags that displayed the Rabbit logo.
That was pretty much the end of the Rabbit until now, when Volkswagen is planning to resurrect the nameplate. We are yet to find out what they are actually up to.
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