VW Golf I radio
In 1974, back when the original Volkswagen Golf made its debut, things were much more simple: The 'Braunschweig' radio had one knob on the left for power and volume, along with another knob on the right for selecting the station. There were three buttons in the centre, one for medium wave and two for VHF. That was it. Simple, yet efficient.
VW Golf I radio
This simple mono-radio 'Braunschweig' evolved in the later years of the first-generation VW Golf to become the Ingolstadt Stereo CR – CR stands for cassette radio. Remember those? If the answer is yes, it means you've been around for a while.
VW Golf II radio
With the launch of the second-generation Golf in 1983, VW decided to go (slightly) digital. The radio system – dubbed 'Gamma' – received a fancy LCD display.
VW Golf II radio
Needless to say, the cassette tape was available from day one when the second Golf was introduced in 1983. Speaking of cassettes, the 'Gamma' radio also incorporated a Dolby button for noise reduction in cassettes. In addition, VW made the system code-protected and it came bundled with 4x7 Watts of stereo sound.
VW Golf III radio
In 1991 when the Golf Mk3 came out, the cassette tape was still very much alive and kicking, hence why the 'Alpha' still had it. Automatic station search and traffic announcement both came as built-in functions.
VW Golf IV radio
Significant progress was made with the VW Golf Mk4 launched in 1997: a CD changer.
VW Golf IV radio
That didn't mean owners had to throw away their tapes as a cassette player was still part of the setup.
VW Golf IV radio
The evolution of double DIN devices allowed customers willing to fork out more money to get the Golf with a significantly larger display with colour navigation.
VW Golf V radio
When the fifth-generation VW Golf was introduced it only came with double DIN devices and the cassette player had by now (sadly) become a thing of the past.
VW Golf V radio
Volkswagen gave customers the possibility to pick from multiple systems, such as the simple 'RCD 300' with a CD player and the more evolved 'MFD2' navigation system. Mobile phone connectivity was implemented, as well as the option to hook up an MP3 player.
VW Golf VI radio
The year was 2008 when VW rolled out the Golf Mk6 with an expansive colour touchscreen and even – gasp – a DVD player as part of the 'RNS 510' system.
VW Golf VI radio
It was an early version of an infotainment system as it came with a range of fancy features such a USB port, 30GB hard drive and support for digital radio reception (DAB) as well as dynamic navigation.
VW Golf VII radio
For the first time in the Golf's segment, gesture control is available with the Discover Pro system that has an elegant glass design – although that glass does seem to be a fingerprint magnet.
VW Golf VII radio
With the mid-cycle refresh, the latest and greatest Golf received a top-of-the-line infotainment system with a 9.2-inch touchscreen and lacking any sort of physical controls.
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