Audio - standard Mk2 Golf stereo
This topic causes lots of debate as there seems to be no real answer. But in short, the answer to the question that crops up quite often "What stereo would my Golf have had from factory?" Is, there probably wasn't one!
In the OEM section there are a bunch of original sales brochures. https://www.vwgolfmk2.co.uk/clubforum/index.php?topic=10.new#new
These show the selection of Blaupunkt car stereos that were available. However the majority of these brochures are for the European/German market.
On mainland Europe it appears the cars were fitted with these factory stereos, but the export cars for UK didn't have a stereo fitted. I can only assume its because of one of the following:
1. The car stereos if fitted had a tendency to go missing en-route, most likely on the ships as the vehicles were transported over seas.
(Having worked for a period at Avonmouth docs driving Japanese cars off the ships and loading the empty ships back up Jags and Land Rovers for export I can see how that might have been the case, although security was tight when I did it, I imagine it would have been a bit different 20-30 years earlier.)
Or
2. There was an issue with leaving the stereos in during transit, either due to moisture whilst at sea, but maybe something to do with draining the battery.
But I suspect the security issue is the reason.
So here's how it went for UK purchases.
At the VW dealer there would be a display of available stereos, often Panasonic but not exclusive, (Grundig or Philips also seem popular for the period) and when ordering your new car you would select from the stand in the showroom, the stereo you wanted, most likely the basic but you had the chance to upgrade.
Bearing in mind the "In Car Entertainment" scene was just beginning to kick off with the first European I.C.E. Championship "Sound Off" held in Bristol Watershed in 1988.
CD was still in its infancy, only introduced in 1983. So during the life of the Mk2, whilst in-car CD was available for the run out models, and can be found as an option in some of the later sales brochures, it would have been a very expensive option.
In my personal opinion a classic Alpine system looks the part in a Mk2, with it's matching green display