Since the beginning, Volkswagen has been known for one thing; Reliable, affordable and attractive cars. The VW Beetle is one the most iconic cars of all time, but when it was new, it was one of the most popular cars of the time. For over 3 decades, the car sold in large numbers. However, after so long being on sale, people wanted a new car from Volkswagen. People were now prospering, with wars and financial troubles left behind, and people wanted choices. Companies like Peugeot and Citroen were beginning to leave behind their older models and created newer, better cars. Volkswagen was slowly lagging behind.
By the 1970s, everyday people only wanted small city cars, or larger performance cars. Since performance cars can be expensive to develop with small profit margins, Volkswagen instead looked to develop a ‘hatchback’ city car. This meant that the engine was in the front, with the car having a larger wheelbase and smaller overhangs. These features would make the car easier to drive and park in cities, where many younger people were buying cars. In order to create the first VW not based on the Beetle, VW hired world-famous designer Giorgetto Giugiaro to design a modern- day successor to the world’s most iconic car. The original concept got people very interested in the Golf
The resulting car was an immediate success, reflecting the rise of the Beetle over 30 years beforehand. In 1974, the Golf was launched and just like the Beetle, it revolutionised the car market. Buyers wanted this small new car. Also, the impacts of the oil crisis meant that small and economic cars were extremely popular worldwide, as fuel became rarer and more expensive. Buoyed by the success of the Mk1 Golf, the Mk2 was created, launching in 1983 and over its 48 year(and counting) production run, Volkswagen has sold over 40 million Golfs.
The original Golf is now a cult classic, with a loyal following from millions of people around the world. The reason why the Golf was so popular was because despite not really looking like the Beetle, the philosophy was the same: Design a car that is modern and inexpensive, focus less on power and more on comfort and practicality. Over the years, the Golf has evolved into a formidable vehicle and recent models have won many accolades worldwide. The production of the Golf is soon going to end, and one can only hope that Volkswagen applies the same philosophy to the new car as it did to the Beetle and the Golf, in order to create another sales success.
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