Andreas Mindt joined Volkswagen from Bentley at the beginning of 2023 and has been responsible for design there ever since. During the last GTI Fanfest 2024, the mega party dedicated to the Volkswagen Golf in its 50th anniversary year, we had the opportunity to talk to him.
In his long career at the Volkswagen Group, which began in 1996 after graduating from the University of Design in Pforzheim, Mindt worked on the first generation of the Tiguan and the Golf 7, among other things; from 2014 to 2021 he completely changed the "face" of Audi and from 2021 he created the new design language of Bentley, represented by the Batur.
Andreas Mindt at the GTI Fanfest 2024
I suspect that updating the design or creating a new generation of an icon like the Volkswagen Golf will not be easy...
I think the process is very simple. The idea of the original was to combine a very practical car with a very emotional car. You can take the whole family with you, with the kids in the back seat, you can go shopping, you can go to the supermarket, you can do everything! But then you drive it and it's fun to drive and use every day.
It's fun. And all of that together is the recipe for success. And now it's very easy to turn this into an electric future.
What is the key to the Golf and what is its outstanding design element?
First and foremost, it is the position of the car on the road. The key lies in the wheel arches, in the larger wheels. If you have a slim body and a wide track, the car looks really strong. That was already the case with the first generation, and it has remained so to this day. We are aware of this and will continue to do so with future models.
Which of the eight generations is your favourite?
There are so many... You know, it's impossible to name a favourite. But let's say I really like the first Golf. The first one is so beautiful. But of course the second one also played a very important role. Yes, I like it.
What memories come to mind when you see a classic Golf?
When I was 12 years old, I had a white plastic model that I painted black with a brush, and I still have it today. It's 1:24 scale and it's very beautiful. That's my childhood memory of the Golf.
Andreas Mindt, Head of Design at Volkswagen, at the wheel of a GTI Mk2
How important is this tradition for the brand?
It is very important. I really like the heritage. I like individual stories, history in general. We have to be aware of it and translate it into modern pieces. Of course we have to.
Can tradition and design be the key to fighting new competitors, especially the Chinese?
Of course, because they don't have the heritage. That's our trump card. Let's say it's our value. And it's a nice value. The Golf 1 and 2, for example. If we use the same values in the future, it will be a success. I'm sure of that. We have this advantage and we have to be aware of it. And we are doing that.
And I have no problem with that: I think we are very strong because we come from the past and we will be very strong in the future.
What are the challenges in developing the future electric Golf?
Electric cars have good and bad sides, that's the case with all electric cars. The good side is that you have a long wheelbase to accommodate a large battery. This makes the overhangs shorter, which together with the longer wheelbase makes the car look nicer. The result looks better.
And then you have bigger and narrower wheels to improve rolling resistance. And the bigger they are, the better. They are also good for the proportions of the car. Both aspects together make a car look good. And that's what we're looking for at the moment.
Volkswagen ID. GTI Concept 2023
What do you think the Golf will look like in 20 years' time?
I think we are aiming for a very pure, very simple design, a clean design. We want to incorporate the essence and the best details from the history of the Golf into the design. A Golf will always be a Golf, I promise you, a Golf with recognition value. Even if we removed all the badges, if we left nothing on the car, you would still recognise it as a Golf.
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If you didn't set any limits to the design, what would the Golf look like?
I prefer to remove things. You know, that's the most complicated thing: removing things. And I think what I really want is to make a clean Golf, with very simple surfaces, to make the car really strong and powerful. That's what I want to do.