Remember when Volkswagen brought back the old “Rabbit” nameplate for the Mk5 Golf in North America? It was a neat experiment, but the rebranding didn’t last and it was back to the “Golf” name a generation later. Today’s Autotrader find is a rather unique 2008 VW Rabbit painted in blue camouflage.
What is the Rabbit?
The Mk5 Rabbit was quite quirky. In the U.S., it was offered with a 170-horsepower DOHC 2.5-liter inline-five gas engine, which is what powers the one you see here. This one is also equipped with the desirable five-speed manual transmission. In classic Volkswagen fashion, the Rabbit offered something a little different and off-beat compared to more mainstream compact cars.
The five-cylinder Rabbit was already a pretty weird car and this one turns up the weirdness a few notches. Blue camouflage paint is not something you see every day. This makes it good for arctic adventures or for just getting noticed in traffic. It stands out so much that it kind of defeats the purpose of camouflage.
Minimalist Interior
The weirdness continues on the inside. The interior is a bit stripped down, but still retains its back seats, which are usually the first thing to go when cutting weight out of an interior. The headliner is gone and so are a few interior panels. My favorite part is that the overhead console is still there dangling over the driver with no headliner around it. Also, it has Honda rubber floor mats in front.
So, there’s a lot of weirdness going on with this Rabbit. It’s priced at just under $3,000 which earns it a Kelley Blue Book “Great Price” rating, but I’m not sure if that accounts for the missing chunks of the interior. If you’re looking for an affordable car that’s both practical and interesting, you’ve found one. Find a Volkswagen Golf for sale
