When the Volkswagen Beetle was discontinued, VW Brazil began production of the VW Brasilia. But when the Golf was launched, the Brasilia’s was intended to stop production. However, VW Brazil felt that a model specifically designed for the demands of the Brazilian public would be a good addition to the already unique line-up.
To make the Gol even more unique compared to the Golf, VW Brazil decided to build it on its own unique ‘BX’ platform, rather than the standard platform used by VW and Audi. Unlike the newer Volkswagen models, the Gol would feature the 1.3-liter, air-cooled boxer engine from the Beetle and the Brasilia, which was popular with the Brazilian public. However, in the Gol the engine would be front-mounted.
The Gol would be initially launched as a 3-door hatchback in 1980 but would also be launched as a saloon in 1983, called the VW Voyage. The Voyage would be offered as a 4-door model. The Voyager was the only Gol variant built outside Brazil in the 1980s, being produced in Argentina. The Voyage would also be sold successfully in North American markets as the Volkswagen Fox. Over time, VW Brazil would also produce a 3-door estate model, which was like the standard hatchback Gol, but featured a lengthened rear end.
In 1985, the air-cooled engine would be replaced by the newer 1.6-litre, water-cooled inline 4 engine from the Passat. The Gol would also receive three sports models, the first of which was the GT 1.8, featuring a 1.8-litre engine from the Passat. Later, VW would launch a GTS 1.8 model would be launched, which featured an upgraded 1.8-litre engine. The final sports model was the GTI 2000, which featured a much larger 2.0-litre engine and was the first Brazilian car with electronic fuel injection. The Gol’s engine was also capable of running on ethanol fuel, which was popular in Brazil at the time. The Voyager also featured a 1.6-litre diesel engine.
The first-generation Gol was extremely popular with the Brazilian public, such that it would end up being exported over much of South America, especially Argentina. The ‘Type 30’ Gol would end up being produced for nearly 15 years, eventually ending production in 1994. However, the Gol would continue production until 2022, when VW Group announced the end of production for the Gol and many other models.
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