The common designation for the first-generation Volkswagen Golf is Mk1, meaning Mark 1. It is also written as Golf Mk I or Golf I, but “Mk1” is the standard informal designation used by enthusiasts, historians and automotive references.
The first Golf debuted in Europe in May 1974. Volkswagen’s internal model designation was Type 17, and the car was built on the company’s A1 platform. It replaced the Beetle with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout and a practical hatchback body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
The Mk1 name identifies the first generation, not an equipment trim or engine size. Later generations are correspondingly known as Mk2, Mk3, Mk4 and so on. In the United States and Canada, the Mk1 was sold under the name Volkswagen Rabbit, while Mexico used the name Caribe, which can make regional references seem like different models.