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This still graces the 6-speed gearbox in the eighth-generation Golf GTI. You also have the option of ordering the car with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and shift-by-wire. Fact 5: Legendary three-spoke “spittoon steering wheel” Ready to go: the Golf GTI now has a new multifunction sports steering wheel, with touch controls, perforated leather and GTI clasp. The Golf 1 GTI already had a three-spoke steering wheel of similar style: fans affectionately dubbed it the “spittoon steering wheel” – as the Wolfsburg logo was located in a deep recess – and it remains a collectors’ item to this day. Fact 6: Golf GTI Cabrio? Yes, we had that in the sixth generation A topless Golf 6 GTI: on the Golf GTI Cabrio, the electrohydraulic system opened the soft top in 9.5 seconds, requiring eleven seconds to close it at 30 km/h. With the roof closed, it was possible to reach 237 km/h. In the months before it was discontinued, the GTI Cabrio was even officially referred to as the “most powerful open Volkswagen”! Of course, the Porsche 918 Spyder or the Lamborghini Huracán Spyder were the most powerful cars that the Group produced, but after production of the Golf R Cabrio ceased, the Golf GTI Cabrio was the fastest car without a roof to come out of Wolfsburg. Fact 7: 2012 heralds a meeting of two global brands – in the Golf GTI adidas To quote the brochure: “Your personal trainer recommends 30 minutes of exercise every day. It’s lucky he didn’t tell you what to exercise with.” You had to be quick out of the blocks in 2012 to secure a Golf GTI adidas from the limited edition of 4,410.

Benjamin “Benny” Leuchter has a long GTI history and was directly involved in the development of the Golf GTI Clubsport 45. Right on time for the Wörthersee GTI fan convention, which has unfortunately been cancelled again in 2021, he introduces the highlights of that car – and meets the most important models of previous generations. A bright blue sky welcomes Benny Leuchter to Wolfsburg on a mild Monday, shortly before the Wörthersee GTI fan convention, which was originally planned for May. The grey parking level, right next to the plant and within sight of Wolfsburg Castle, is about to be upgraded by a piece of Volkswagen history. Eight GTI special editions, from every generation of Golf, have been assembled here – from the Golf 1 GTI Pirelli to the latest member of the GTI family: the Golf GTI Clubsport 45, which is based on the eighth generation of Golf. When the racing driver and Volkswagen test and development driver arrives, he is visibly impressed by the Golf GTI Clubsport 45: “It looks mega. The colour really suits it. With its black accents in a high-gloss finish, the rear wing really comes into its own,” he says, clearly satisfied. “The oval exhaust pipes are framed superbly, and what an awesome size they are. I would definitely tick that on the extras list!”

The interior design is just as striking as the driving performance: red tartan for the center strip of the black sports seats, black headliner and a sports steering wheel as well as a golf ball gearshift lever knob. From the planned 5,000 units, 461,690 Golf GTIs are produced in the first series – which is crowned by the special edition of the 82kW/ 112 PS “Pirelli-GTI”. Der Golf GTI im MotorsportThe Golf GTI also celebrated its first successes in motor sports, especially on the rallying circuit, shortly after its launch. Thus, the Golf GTI competed as a new championship car for six years from 1977. At the “Rabbit Cup” in the USA, Volkswagen quickly advanced to a record winner and multiple champion with the Golf GTI and its racing driver Paul Hacker. There were also records at the “VW Golf GTI Cup” in Germany. In the 1978 season, Walter Struckmann from Hanover won all ten races in a row with his Golf GTI. And Berthold Bermel from Krefeld took part in all Golf GTI Cup races from the premiere on Sylt in 1977 to the final in 1982 at the Nürburgring. The Golf GTI also won a world championship and two German titles in rallying. The Golf GTI also shone at the famous 24-hour race at the Nürburgring with almost 50 class and numerous group victories in the race held since 1970. Golf II GTI (1984 - 1991) – A stroke of genius with up to 160 PS The successful follow-up model offers great variety under the hood: The Golf II GTI is available with five different engine variants that deliver between 79 kW/107 PS and 118 kW/160 PS. Conceptually and with its design DNA, it resumes the course of the first generation. The GTI insignia – especially the red stripe on the radiator grille and the check pattern on the sports seats – become cult. In 1986, the new 16V engine made its debut, producing 102 kW/139 PS and driving the GTI up to 208 kilometers per hour.

Hahn is considered to be one of the fathers of the Golf generation as well as of a successful multi-brand strategy. The takeovers of SEAT (1986) and Škoda (1991) took place during his tenure. Hahn’s strategic decisions laid the groundwork for the Volkswagen Group’s rise as a global player. New production sites in China, Spain, Portugal and – following the fall of the Iron Curtain – in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, which arose in the wake of his globalization policy, established the foundation for the Volkswagen Group becoming what it is today – one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. At the end of 1992, Hahn turned over his job as the head of the Group to former Audi CEO Ferdinand Piëch (* April 17, 1937: † August 25, 2019) and switched to the Group’s supervisory board, of which he was a member until June 1997. You can read more about the life of Carl H. Hahn in his biography Meine Jahre mit Volkswagen [My Years with Volkswagen] (2005) and at www.hahn-carl.de More on the subject More: Volkswagen in Zwickau More: Volkswagen in Dresden More: Volkswagen in Chemnitz

The powerhouse in the compact class: in the 1970s, the Golf GTI – now in its eighth generation in 2020 – was a cult car from the word go. We reveal what makes the punchy front of the GTI so special, and how this has developed over the past half century. Marco Pavone, Head of Exterior Design for the Volkswagen Brand, explains the generations and the latest GTI model. Red-bordered grille and the three magic letters: G, T and I Golf 1 GTIThe Golf learns to race The original GTI hit the scene in 1976, full of confidence, and sporting a black front grille with a red border and a lean design (still at this point). The headlights, protruding from under the bonnet of the lightweight compact car, form the external end points. The first GTI emblem is chrome and intentionally presents a stark contrast with the black Volkswagen logo. “Even with the original GTI, all the design elements already reflect a clear attitude,” says GTI designer Marco Pavone. He and his team were set the demanding challenge of designing the new GTI. The early Golf 1 GTI can be identified by the narrow bumper. These were replaced in 1978 by broader, plastic-covered bumpers. The compact “car in a sports suit” unleashes a magical 110 PS at 6,100 rpm (and weighing just 800 kilograms). Golf 2 GTI Greater width, individuality and comfort “The design of the second generation of Golf GTI is a fascinating development,” says Pavone. Initially sporting twin headlights, like its predecessor, the 16V version of the second generation of Golf GTI came with integrated fog lights from 1988 – each located next to the front headlights. The front grille is still outlined in red, while the bumper itself also features a red GTI line. Under this, for the first time, comes an additional air inlet. On the whole, it continues the conceptual course of the first generation: it is larger, wider and more comfortable – and, in the case of the GTI G60, generates up to 160 PS.

The shape of the Golf came from Giorgio Giugiaro. The boxy compact car captivated immediately with its practicality and quality. Now people refer to the "Golf" class. In terms of numbers, the Golf has far exceeded the Beetle. From the Volkswagen Type 3 to the Passat and Audi 80 With prosperity growing in Western Europe, the trend was moving away from entry-level vehicles to better equipped middle-class models from the mid-1960s onward. At Volkswagen, this trend was recognised early on and from 1961 the Beetle (Type 1) moved aside to make room for the Type 3, which appeared to be bigger. The air-cooled boxer engine, however, was still in the rear. This was actually a cause for concern and so the successor was planned with a front engine. After several failed projects, what was known as development order 272 was started around 1970: initially with a newly developed, transverse 4-cylinder in-line engine, which together with other Volkswagen models was meant to convey a family resemblance and fulfil the common parts strategy. The vehicle was later called the Passat. At Audi, the focus was on the EA 838 with a longitudinally mounted 4-cylinder in-line engine developed in Ingolstadt. The concept car was originally somewhat smaller than the EA 272 and originally had a liftback. The new head of Volkswagen, Rudolf Leiding, ultimately discarded all parallel developments and made sure that engines and basic powertrain bodies came from Bavaria for the notchback Audi 80 from 1972 and the liftback Passat from 1973. The new compact cars Volkswagen was reluctant to enter the market segment below the Beetle. This was a complete contrast to the technicians and developers from NSU who were looking further to develop their small Prinz models. The new subsidiary, NSU, was successful with its two and four-cylinder Prinz cars, even though the air-cooled engine had also surpassed its zenith. Ultimately, the Wolfsburgers passed on the final order for the new compact cars to Ingolstadt.