When the Golf GTI hit the market in 1976, the automotive industry was in for a surprise: The sporty little racer quickly became a cult hit. Its 40th birthday is reason enough to have a look at other popular Golf models.
Image: DW/C. AlbuquerqueThe GTI doesn't look much different from the normal Golf. The main difference is under the hood. This little racer has 110 hp - a record in 1976 for a small middle class car. The speedy little car often even surprised Porsche drivers because of its quick acceleration.
Volkswagen released its first Golf model in 1974. It was intended to replace its iconic "Beetle" and become the car of the people. It was very economical - an important criteria at the the time of the oil crisis. The success of the small car surpassed even the wildest dreams of its creators.
The convertible edition was dubbed "little strawberry basket" in German ('Erdbeerkörbchen') on account of its soft and undependable roll cage appearing to hang loose - like the handles on a strawberry basket. Even this model has its own cult following.
Eventually even the German police wanted to follow the Golf trend. They ordered the sleek Golf Estate, giving it the nickname "officer's Porsche" ('Beamtenporsche'). With police officers conducting their business in Golfs, the brand established itself as Germany's favorite car.
Though conceived for the masses, VW also created upmarket models like the sporty Scirocco. For the 40th birthday of the GTI, Volkswagen will release the limited edition Clubsport S2. But even the older Golf models are still a hit in developing regions, such as South Africa or India.
Volkswagen wouldn't be true to form if it didn't go with the times and offer an electric model of the Golf, called E-Golf. With a capacity to charge up to 80 percent in half an hour, the environmental-friendly edition has set high standards for its competition. It also comes as a plug-in hybrid model, dubbed GTE. The design is based on the seventh and most recent generation of Golf cars.
Even used Golfs have a high retail value. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Pope Benedict XVI can vouch for that. Both their former cars where sold at online auctions, with the pontiff's 1999 model fetching nearly 190,000 euros ($250,000 at the time) at an auction in 2005, while Merkel's 1990 model sold for 130,000 euros ($175,000 at the time) in 2012.
The Golf has made it as one of the top three most sold cars in history. It remains one of the most popular cars among many generations. A book published in 2000 went as far as referring to Germany's Generation X as "Generation Golf" - perhaps the greatest compliment a car has ever received.
It has not been an easy year for VW, which is still reeling from the emissions scandal that rocked Germany's biggest car manufacturer. But in every cloud there's a silver lining; as the company looks back at eight decades of growth, its most popular model celebrates its 40th birthday: the VW Golf GTI. Thousands of GTI fans are meeting at the Wörthersee this week to celebrate.
As it is a special birthday, VW is going to present a world premiere during the festival in honor of its best-selling model: The limited edition "Clubsport S2", a Golf GTI "like never before" according to the company. It is said to have 310 hp. Such announcements can make the heart of every GTI fan beat faster. For nostalgics, Volkswagen is bringing all seven previous GTI models to the festival.
The career of the small sportscar began in 1974. At the time, six designers were on a secret mission to create a new model that would make a mark. From the outside, it looked like a regular Golf, but the surprise was under the hood: 110 hp and a maximum of 182/h. Opel and Ford could not keep up with the mid-sized car.
The interior of the GTI was also very striking. A red strip on the front grille panel, a golf ball on the shift knob and sports seats with Tartan: The new VW model was well received by the customers. Initially 5,000 cars were planned, but by now the two-million mark has been crossed.
