Volkswagen Golf
The front-engined, front-wheel-drive hatchback that opened a new chapter for Volkswagen in 1974.
Overview
Volkswagen began series production of the Golf at Wolfsburg on 29 March 1974. The new model replaced the Beetle at the centre of the company’s passenger-car range, exchanging its predecessor’s rear-mounted, air-cooled engine for a transversely mounted, water-cooled engine driving the front wheels.
Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the clear-edged hatchback body. Its large tailgate, folding rear seat and compact exterior gave the Golf a more flexible layout than a conventional small saloon, while three- and five-door versions broadened its usefulness.
The range soon expanded beyond the original hatchbacks. The Golf GTI entered production in 1976, pairing the practical body with a fuel-injected engine and a sportier chassis. A diesel followed the same year, and the Golf Cabriolet arrived in 1979. Volkswagen built one million Golfs by October 1976.
Generations
First generation (Golf I, 1974–1983)
The first Golf established the model’s basic formula: a two-box hatchback with front-wheel drive, space-efficient packaging and a wide choice of engines and trim levels. Mainstream German production gave way to the Golf II in 1983, although first-generation derivatives remained in production for longer.
Later generation records will be added as the catalogue develops.