The Volkswagen Golf Turns 50! A Look Back at The History of The Iconic Car
We’re also looking at the New Golf which is now available to order in celebration of the car’s 50th anniversary.
- The first-generation Golf was introduced in 1974.
- As the car enters its eighth generation, we’re looking at the new model.
- The new Golf is now available to order with OTR prices starting from £27,035.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Volkswagen Golf and the release of the eighth-generation model. Orders for the new Golf opened in April with OTR prices starting from £27,035.
It’s the most intuitive model yet with Chat GPT and offers a range of efficient powertrains.
New Golf
As of April, the first trims to go on sale are the Life, Match, and Style, for the Golf hatchback. With Life and Style trims available on the estate version.
Powertrain options include a 1.5 litre petrol engine with 115 PS or 150 PS, and a mild hybrid 1.5 litre eTSI engine with 115 PS or 150 PS.
The redesigned front end of the new Golf includes revised LED headlights, with optional IQ. Light matrix headlights with a main beam range of up to 500m. An illuminated Volkswagen logo appears for the first time.
Inside the interior, the updated infotainment system is more intuitive than ever with Chat GPT voice assistant. This can be used to control features such as air conditioning, navigation, and to make phone calls.
New driver assistance features include enhanced Park Assist Plus and Park Assist Pro. With the help of these features, you can manoeuvre in and out of any space using your smartphone.
History of the Volkswagen Golf
Seven generations, 50 years, and 37 million cars sold worldwide – the Volkswagen Golf continues to dominate the roads.
Golf Mk1 1974 - 1983
After decades of Beetle mania sweeping the globe, there was a new car on the block in 1974. In its first two years of being on sale, over a million Golf Mk1 cars rolled off the production line and began a new era for Volkswagen.
Golf Mk2 1983 - 1991
Following on from the hugely successful debut of the Golf Mk1, the next generation of Golf was released in 1983. The first-generation model proved popular with driving instructors and learner drivers. While this new model catered to the baby boomer generation.
Golf Mk3 1991 - 1997
A new era of Golf ushered in a new era of safety. The third-generation Golf was the first model to include front airbags. Other milestones included the first six-cylinder engine (VR6), cruise control, and the first side airbags. By 1994, Volkswagen was celebrating after 15 million cars were sold worldwide.
Golf Mk4 1997 – 2003
To this day, design experts still regard the Golf Mk4 as a style icon with a striking C-pillar design. A new quality standard was set with the Golf Mk4 and continued to make safety improvements. In 2002, the sportiest Golf yet was introduced with the release of the R32.
Golf Mk5 2003 – 2008
The fifth-generation Golf began to set a precedent for comfort and dynamics in the upper mid-sized vehicle class. It was also the first time that the Golf was optionally available with eight airbags throughout the vehicle. Over 3.4 million Golf’s were sold by 2008 when the next generation came along.
Golf Mk6 2008 – 2012
Safety took a huge leap in the Golf Mk6, with the laser-welded body that resulted in a five-star Euro NCAP safety warning. It was also considered the most progressive Golf with the introduction of new assistance systems. In 2009, the car was awarded ‘World Car of the Year’.
Golf Mk7 2012 – 2012
The seventh-generation Golf was launched in Berlin in September 2012, with pre-sales reaching 29.3 million a day later. With a weight reduction of up to 100kg, it introduced a wide range of new driver assistance features. Since its release, over six million Golf Mk7’s have rolled off the production line.
Order the new Volkswagen Golf
You can now order the new Golf hatchback in the Life, Match, or Style trim, or the Life and Style trim on the estate version. More eHybrid, GTI and GTE models are set to be introduced later this year.
Book an appointment now to view the range at your local Vertu Volkswagen dealership.
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