_EMPTY YOUR POCKETS.

Japan has a rich culture, and many traditions. The Feast of Saint Patrick is a cultural and religious celebration of the death of the foremost patron saint of Ireland. And Bach, Beethoven and Brahms are three renowned classical composers from Germany. What brings us to the conclusion that it is perfectly possible that a Japanese citizen listens to German classic music while wearing a green shirt with the three-leaved shamrock on.

Orange underwear. So yes, traditions have been crossing borders. And some have added value, others not really. Halloween is an example of a tradition that made us quit watching ‘Orange is the new black’, and made us stop eating apricots, oranges and papaya. We also stopped dating woman wearing orange underwear. Basically, we stopped dating woman that wear underwear in general. In fact… we stopped dating.

Without help from above. Of course it’s pure coincidence that we have an orange shaded car in front of us. Although it’s no coincidence that we wrote the intro the way we did. Because these days you can’t hide from the wide fender storm that hits the international shores led by brands like Pandem Rocket Bunny and Liberty Walk. And for those who still believe that those Japanese dudes have invented the warm water, it’s time you face the truth, the whole truth and nothing else but the truth. So help you G… No no, without any help from imaginary figures that appear in old books!

To race or not to race. The world of Motorsport and nobody else then Motorsport is responsible for the appearance of wide fenders in the custom cars. And living proof of that is this Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Group 2 from nineteen seventy five. Or 1975 if you don’t want to use syllables en vowels. It was a year earlier, in 1974, that the new by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign Golf was introduced in Europe. As the model was known mainly for being the next generation of economy cars, racing was not what came to mind for the vast majority of Golf owners, but this car is the exception to that rule.

Old school power plants. This is the world’s first racing Golf. In early 1975, Rolf Nothelle introduced this bright orange/red racer for the first time in Zolder/Belgium. Shortly thereafter, it took first place on the grand prix circuit Hockenheimring with driver Bernd Lilier. It was initially homologated with a 1,598 cc OHC in-line four-cylinder engine producing 162 bhp at 8,000 rpm, yet was later homologated with a 1.8 175 bhp engine with dual Weber 45 DCOE carburettors, contactless ignition, BBS wheels, Uniball suspension, and racing brake system with four-piston front and two-piston rear callipers. This 1.8-litre engine is what the car is equipped with today.

Reborn. Keeping with family tradition, it was rebuilt by Marcus Nothelle and his company in 2011 on behalf of Volkswagen AG and was presented to the general public in restored original condition at Techno Classica in Essen, Germany, in March of 2012.