The Amazing History of the Golf!

Exactly 50 years ago, on March 29, 1974, Volkswagen began mass production of the Golf in Wolfsburg.

At that time, no one knew that this compact model, set to succeed the famous Beetle, would establish itself and remain a reference 50 years later. Reflecting the spirit of its time, it was to give its name to an entire market segment, accompanying the daily lives of several generations of drivers around the world. More than 37 million units have been sold since the very first production version in 1974, which statistically means that over 2,000 people have purchased a new Golf worldwide every day for the past 50 years.

Game-Changing Model

The very first examples of the Volkswagen Golf arrived in dealer showrooms in July 1974. While the Beetle and rear-engine cars had dominated the scene until then, this launch marked the beginning of a new era: that of front-mounted transverse engines. Volkswagen had already begun this transition some time earlier with the Scirocco and the Passat. The arrival of the Golf brought this technology into the segment recording the highest sales volume.

The Golf Recipe

Set to succeed the renowned Beetle, which was produced in over 21.5 million units, the Golf designed by Giorgio Giugiaro and Volkswagen Design had to live up to the high expectations placed upon it to continue the remarkable story begun by the best-selling car until then. A challenge met with great success, as the Golf surpassed one million units sold by October 1976. Fifty years later, its horizons remain as vast as ever.

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