Volkswagen Golf, Are We Starting Another 50 Years?

Mass production of the eighth generation Golf has begun in Germany at the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg.

Nearly fifty years to the day after the launch of the first Golf, the first model of the eighth generation rolled off the production lines. It is a Golf Style1, in a lovely metallic anemone blue color.

Wolfsburg is the reference production site for this model, which has stood the test of time and trends. Over the past 50 years, more than 37 million units have been sold worldwide, with over half coming from this plant — averaging 400,000 vehicles per year. This includes the “classic” Golf, now in its eighth generation, as well as the Golf SW and Golf Sportsvan.

More Tech, Still Golf

While it is not strictly speaking a new model but rather an evolution of the previous generation, this new Golf features distinctive elements such as a luminous Volkswagen logo on the grille. The new Golf is finally available in two new plug-in hybrid versions, which offer a significantly higher electric range of over 100 km, and up to 1000 km in hybrid mode, along with a rapid charging function via direct current.

Inside, a new-generation infotainment system is installed, with a 32.2 cm / 12.9-inch touchscreen and an intuitive menu. Touch sliders for adjusting temperature and volume are now illuminated. Other updates include a multifunction steering wheel with easily accessible buttons, and the IDA voice assistant with ChatGPT integrated, which not only controls various functions like air conditioning, phone, and navigation system but also provides online information on a wide range of topics.

READ ALSO: The incredible history of the Golf!