VW Golf 50-year celebration drive

The Classic Car Club Mallorca touring drive on 23 March was a celebration of an extraordinarily long-lived car that followed on from the Beetle: the VW Golf. 

The VW Golf first rolled off the Wolfsburg factory floor in March 1974, reaching dealerships in the summer of that year, and has gone through many transformations over its eight generations.

The Club drive’s organiser Gaston Westphal paid great attention to detail. He even invited several classic Golf cars along, such as a Red VW Golf MK1 GTI, driven by rally driver Enrique Carbonell, whose daughter accompanied him to learn the ropes. Other guests were Glasson Fitzpatrick and his brother David, driving a Black Golf MK2 16V and a white MK1 respectively.

Route in central and northern Mallorca

The very varied route focussed on central and northern Mallorca.

An impressive 25 classic cars and some 50 drivers lined up at the starting point, which was the Tafona Son Catiu to the East of Inca.

After a quiz question, the drive set off at 11 am, the cars leaving separately in one-minute intervals. The first section of the drive followed the original Rally Roadbook stage, as organised by Toni Dezcallar for the Rally Clasico Mallorca: Son Catiu, along the Ma-3440 towards Llubi, followed by Santa Margalida.

The second leg of the journey headed north to Muro and then West to Inca before turning North again to Selva and Caimari to access the Tramuntana Road.  This challenging, winding section of road to Lluc and then on to Pollença was the most picturesque and beautiful part of the day’s drive.  It was all the harder due to the many cyclists making their way uphill.

Seafront finish at Port of Pollença

The drive finished at the Ca’n Josep Ca Vostra restaurant on the seafront at the port of Pollença, where the spectacular food was served, including an exceptional frit Mallorquin.

To decide the winners, the earlier quiz question was taken into account and drivers rolled dice to see who could come closest to 21, in a variant on Blackjack or Pontoon. Hans-Peter and Elke Dinsing came first with their 1953 Austin Healey, and in second place was Glasson Fitzpatrick with his 1988 Golf V16. Third place went to Mike Dawson and Angela Mayol with their Ford Anglia 1966 van.

The next drive will be on 28 April. Check the website for more details.