Half a century ago, Volkswagen began series production of the Golf in Wolfsburg. At that precise moment, nobody suspected that this compact car, which succeeded the legendary Beetle, would become the most successful Volkswagen and the best-selling European car of all time.
Eventually, the Volkswagen group found itself in crisis in 1974, and the failure of the new Golf would have changed the company's history forever. But it went on to become an icon in its class, accompanying generations of people around the world. The Golf even appeared on a postage stamp.
Speaking of the name, 'Golf' is usually derived from the Gulf Stream, but apparently it was also the name of the racehorse of a board member of the German brand. In any case, it's still better than the name 'Blizzard', which has often been mooted. In the United States (and partly in Austria), the first Golf was sold under the name 'Rabbit'.
To date, more than 37 million units of the first production Golf of 1974 have been sold. In purely mathematical terms, more than 2,000 people have chosen a new Golf every day over the last 50 years.
A dive into the past
In July 1974, the first new Golfs were on the dealer's sales floor. Where the Beetle and its rear boxer engine had dominated the range for decades, a new era was finally beginning: that of the transversely mounted front engine. This movement had been initiated at Volkswagen shortly before by the Scirocco and the Passat. For the record, the first Volkswagen with front-wheel drive was the K 70.
As the successor to the legendary Beetle, built more than 21.5 million times, the Golf, designed by Giorgio Giugiaro and Volkswagen Design, had to live up to the world's best-selling car at the time. The plan worked. The modern transmission concept, the variable interior and the new design were so convincing that production of the one millionth Golf could be celebrated as early as October 1976. This was despite the fact that the first models from 1974 were plagued by serious quality problems, and almost all of them were bought out by Volkswagen.
To date, more than 20 million Golfs have been built in Wolfsburg alone, and the 17 million produced outside the city have been made in other German factories as well as in Belgium, Brazil, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Slovakia and South Africa, where the Golf I continued to roll off the assembly lines until 2009.
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A journey through time
Almost everything has already been said about the eight generations of Golf. So here's a brief overview of the history of this iconic model. We start, of course, with the first Golf (all derivatives included), which sold 6.9 million units.
This was followed by the Golf II from 1983 to 1992, which was bigger and better than its predecessor. Technologies such as controlled catalytic converter, ABS and all-wheel drive made their debut on this car, and legendary models derived from it include the Rallye Golf, G60, Country Golf, and GTI 16V. 6.3 million Golf IIs were built between 1983 and 1991.
With the Golf III, Volkswagen ushered in a new era of safety in August 1991. It was the first model in the series to be available with front airbags from 1992. There were problems with quality and rust prevention, but there were legendary models like the VR6 and the first Golf Variant. 4.8 million Golf IIIs were built up to 1997.
The Golf IV, introduced in 1997, is today considered a style icon, certainly because it represents a bridge with the Golf I of 1974 with its distinctness and the C-pillar design that characterised the series. With this car, Volkswagen set a new quality standard in the segment. In 2002, the brand also presented the sportiest Golf to date based on the fourth generation: the R32 and its top speed of 155 mph. In 2003, it was the first Volkswagen to receive a double-clutch transmission (DSG). That same year, the Golf IV was replaced after selling 4.9 million units.
In 2003, the fifth Golf left many upper-middle-class competitors behind thanks to its excellent comfort. Nothing else was comparable in terms of quality. This generation saw the introduction of the Golf Plus (later called the Golf Sportsvan), which completed the range. In addition, the Golf V, built 3.4 million times until 2008, scored points with a new four-link rear axle, bi-xenon headlights and the first 7-speed DSG.
The Golf VI was in fact a major facelift of the previous generation. In just four years, at the end of July 2012, a further 3.6 million Golfs had been built on the basis of this vehicle introduced in 2008. In September 2012, Volkswagen celebrated the world premiere of the seventh Golf. Its weight has been reduced by up to 100 kg compared to its predecessor, and its fuel consumption has also been cut by 23%. In 2014, Volkswagen set course for the era of electromobility with the e-Golf. However, the Golf I already existed as an electric prototype. By 2019, 6.3 million Golf VII had been built.
In October 2019, Volkswagen presented the Golf VIII. The brand electrified the compact class with new lightweight plug-in hybrid engines. However, vulnerable software and poor operation via touch surfaces were criticised. The impression of quality has also deteriorated compared to its predecessor. All these points have reportedly been improved with the facelift presented in January 2024, and more than a million copies of the eighth Golf have been sold to date. Shall we meet again for the centenary?
Gallery: 50 years of the VW Golf in 50 pictures
