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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. As before, the significantly more spacious interior is dominated by sports seats, a black headliner and the four-spoke steering wheel with the four round horn buttons familiar

Volkswagen Classic houses many treasures – including electric cars from 40 years ago and the GDR Golf, which was delivered to eastern Germany since 1978. In an interview, expert Sascha Neumann explains how history strengthens trust in the brand. Could you please explain, Mr. Neumann, what the Volkswagen Classic is? Volkswagen Classic is the automotive tradition running through the Volkswagen brand. We build bridges between the past and the future. That’s why we participate in classic car events, show our historic cars at motor shows and reach out to the public through our website or social media channels. We see ourselves as a reliable contact for the media as well as for fans and owners of classic Volkswagen cars. How strong is their loyalty to the Volkswagen brand? There is an astonishing brand loyalty: Those who drive a Volkswagen classic car or a young time classic often drive a current model also. Each of them is a customer as well as brand ambassador. Particularly in the transition phase we are currently going through, it is important to give our customers potential for identification and orientation. Building trust is achieved by telling stories from history. Because many people have also experienced this history personally. The Volkswagen story touches them because it is part of their life story. At the heart of the Classic are the classic cars – which ones do you have in your collection? At the moment there are about 300 vehicles. Of these, a good 150 are housed at the Osnabrück location. The spectrum ranges from the Karmann Jagdwagen from 1909 to the Golf GTI Clubsport S, the Nordschleife record vehicle from 2016, including prototypes and many rarities: the Karmann Ghia prototype from 1953, a restored VW 1500 convertible, Hebmüller convertible from 1950, but also the Pikes Peak Bi-Motor Golf, with which rally driver Klaus-Joachim “Jochi” Kleint broke down 200 meters before the finish line in 1987 due to a small defect. Also rare is the GDR Golf, one of

now refs at national league level and is an assistant referee in the U19 Bundesliga. “I really enjoy it and would certainly be open to continuing my development, in order to be able to referee in higher leagues in the adult game – provided I can combine this with my job.” “App-lying” himself to a Masters Julius Merkel can easily imagine a career at Volkswagen: “Volkswagen has always been a very interesting employer for me: modern cars, extensive sports sponsorship – that ticks a lot of boxes, so my goal from an early stage was to work here.” His favourite model at the moment is definitely the new Golf – whether as a GTI or a GTE. “Furthermore, you have a huge number of opportunities and can, for example, gain experience abroad – with this in mind, working at Volkswagen is very attractive in many regards.” Julius graduated from the Ostfalia Hochschule in Wolfsburg with a first-class dual degree in Business Administration. Alongside his job, he is now also doing a two-year Masters in “Marketing and E-Business” in Göttingen. “I definitely want to stay in Volkswagen Marketing and would like to continue to develop the ‘We Score’ app. That is obviously what my heart is set on,” says Julius on his career plans. “I would also like to be involved in developing more apps for future digital, in-car offerings.” Julius Merkel has a clear vision and the necessary ambition – that is clear when chatting during the photo shoot between the Volkswagen Arena and the training ground. His glances across to the footballers show just how passionate he is about the sport. And who knows, maybe the “VfL” players will one day “dance” to the tune of his whistle. Whatever happens, it is well worth downloading his app to ensure you are always on the ball. More on the subject Press Release:New app for the current Golf: Football fans can always stay on the ball with “We Score”

Few other cars are so deeply rooted in the lives of their drivers as the Golf. In the series entitled ‘It’s my Life’, we present people who drive the Golf – and live for it. In part 7, Benny Leuchter confesses his love for the Golf VII GTI Clubsport S. The young man is incredible – and incredibly fast: almost as quickly as he races around the track in his Golf TCR, Benny Leuchter whizzes around his Golf VII GTI Clubsport S with the camera. The car is number 01 of a special series of just 400. ‘I love this car, I just love it,’ he repeats time and again – and it doesn’t sound at all trite. On the contrary, when you meet this likeable, down-to-earth and exceptional racing driver, it is difficult to do anything other than give a knowing smile. Benny, a Duisburg man born and bred, is 31 years young and competes with the best of them in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR). In 2016, amid all the events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Golf GTI, he set a new Nordschleife record at the Nürburgring. Precisely 7:49.21 minutes – a best time that Benny beat by two seconds a little while later with a time of 7:47.19 minutes – in the Golf VII GTI Clubsport S. A record! The fastest front-wheel-drive production car! The Golf GTI will forever be associated with him, there can be no doubt. It couldn’t be any other way, neither historically nor emotionally. ‘My mum drove a Golf II GTI 16V, “Fire and Ice” special edition,’ says Benny. ‘And I knew even back then that the GTI was something quite special.’ It seemed somehow written in the stars that her son would one day become one of the fastest touring car drivers in the world, particularly since mum still also whizzes around to this day. ‘And it was also clear from very early on that my first car would be a GTI,’ says Benny Leuchter, while carefully steering his 228 kW / 310 PS GTI Clubsport S around his home town of Duisburg. Careful, because this particular Golf

There can be few other cars as deeply rooted in the lives of its drivers as the Golf. ‘It’s my Life’; a series introducing people who drive the Golf – and who eat and breath Golf. In part 4, the Austrian Ronny Pitz from Klagenfurt explains why a 2004 Golf MK IV R32 is the perfect car for him. Even the thick swathes of mist hanging low around Klagenfurt’s mountainsides seem to move at speed today – wherever the black Golf IV suddenly appears and zips by. ‘Vrrooaarr!’ and ‘vrroom’ it goes, revving from low pitch to high, making the valley echo. It’s a special sound: genuine, unadulterated R32. Fully present, but in no way obtrusive. Ronny Pitz also goes ‘Vrrooaarr!’ and ‘vrroom!’ A youthful 30-year-old, the Klagenfurter sitting behind the tri-spoked wheel of the R32 can actually imitate the voice of his Golf, and he does it to perfection: truly unbelievable. He does it whenever he feels like it – which it is quite often. He says it, utters a quiet ‘vrrooarr’, switches down a gear, and uses his right foot and the 240 PS engine to produce the exact same pitch. Full torque still on tap Built in 2004, this perfectly preserved, all-original Golf is one of the last mark IV R32s. It’s clocked up 259,000 kilometres since it first rolled of the line, but its full torque is still on tap. Its only modification: spacers, to make the Golf sit a little lower in its wheel arches. “A dream!” says Ronny, who, naturally, attends all the meets in his home region between St. Margareten and Ferlach, as well as the big fan gathering down at Wörthersee. The magic of IV His first car in 2009 was a Golf IV R32. That then got updated at regular intervals: Golf R marks V, VI and VII, crowned by the Golf VII GTI Clubsport02 – what more could you want? “Another mark IV R32,” says Ronny admiringly, as if it were the most logical

not have the huge run-off areas of today’s Formula 1 circuits,” he explains. “The barriers stand right next to the road almost everywhere along the track, which leaves no room for mistakes.” Even when they are not your own ones, as was the case at the 2018 24-hour race. On approach to the Bellof-S area (named after the German racing driver Stefan Bellof), Dumas drove over an oil spill. It was left behind by another car after an engine failure. After making contact with the barrier, Dumas’s race was over. “Nothing happened to me, but at this point in time we were in the lead,” he remembers in sadness. Fans are close An important factor of the goose-bump-atmosphere on the Nordschleife described by Dumas is the fans. “In the earlier days, during the formation lap in the ‘Hatzenbach’ area for example, we drove through rows and rows of people,” remembers the Pikes Peak champion of 2018. “It was the same in the last lap of the race. In some places it was only possible to go at walking pace. It wasn’t completely safe.” Nowadays, there are high fences everywhere along the circuit that deny the spectators access to the track. Video: about the first tests of the ID.R on the Nordschleife ... Nevertheless, they are still right in the thick of it, because the Nordschleife offers motorsport you can almost touch. A situation that would now be unthinkable when Dumas chases the lap record for electric vehicles is that of qualifying in the 2009 24-hour race. “I had a puncture, so I stopped in the ‘Breitscheid’ area of the track and called my pit crew.” The mechanics set out with a spare wheel and managed to reach Dumas over the road running right next to the race track. Only, they were not allowed to help their driver. “It wasn’t so bad,” laughs Dumas. “I took over the tyre change with the fans.” A typical Nordschleife anecdote. 07:47:19 minutes OR: record lap on the Nordschleife with a Golf GTI Clubsport S More on the subject Check the press release More on Romain Dumas More on the job of pro-racers

officially certified product trainer of Volkswagen Group", explains Leuchter. This year he will be celebrating his tenth anniversary, already. But at Volkswagen, he is not only doing trainings with Driving Experience. He is also involved in the development programme for the new Golf GTI TCR from the very beginning in 2015. To this day, he has been involved in every winter test for the continuing development of the race car. He also benefits from this on the racetrack. In 2016, he competes in the TCR Germany and immediately celebrates a second place in his first race. This is followed by further success in the TCR Germany, the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring and the 24h Nürburgring, including the TCR class victory in the endurance classic on the Nordschleife in 2017. The record drive on the Nordschleife One date is largely responsible for making Leuchter what they like to call him at Volkswagen: ‘One of us’. It is 20th of April 2016 at the Nordschleife. Leuchter is set to deliver a new lap record for front-wheel drive production vehicles – with the Golf GTI Clubsport S. The limited edition of 400 sports cars is facing its world premiere. And it’s not just any record attempt. It’s the fight against the clock on one of the most difficult race tracks in the world. Leuchter’s favourite circuit. For months, Volkswagen has been working on the set-up of the car. Now it all depends on Leuchter, to justify the high expectations in the compact sports cars and, of course, himself. One lap. 20.832 kilometres. Flying start. The time is running. The clock stops at 7:49.21 minutes – it’s a new record! Since the record run, Leuchter calls a white Clubsport S with production number 001/400 his own. “I’m incredibly proud of the record to this day,” says Leuchter, who would go on to improve on his own best time by two seconds. The most beautiful reminder of this, the Clubsport S, is warm and dry in his garage in Duisburg. Full programme for 2019 Although he is rarely home, he

GTI driver, finds: “The TCR is another great addition to the Golf range. It is the sportiest GTI so far. Yet it remains a compact car that is suitable for everyday use. The Golf somehow just keeps reinventing itself. That has always been its big strength.” The touring car racing version of the new GTI TCR (short for “Touring Car Racing”), which lends its name to the sporty top model, makes no compromises. Nor should it. The racer, which Volkswagen Motorsport offers its customer teams, was the inspiration behind the development of the road-going model – and was also available for driving at this special event in Portimão. The chance to drive a real race car – wow! And the 350-PS racer naturally took acceleration, grip and cornering speeds to a new level. A hot ride in a TCR powerhouse After brief instructions from professional touring car driver Benjamin Leuchter, who explains the most important functions, it is time to get going – under the guidance of a professional instructor from the Volkswagen Driving Experience, of course. And here too, it very quickly becomes apparent that a Golf is a Golf, and drives like a Golf – after all, 65 per cent of the GTI production parts can also be found in the racing version. “Sensational,” is how Berger sums up his drive in the race car. “Sure, it is loud, hot and the engine roars at you. But even here, you notice that it is a Golf. A very balanced car, which warms you up very quickly. Ideal for customer sport.” The racing version has already proven itself emphatically on several occasions. Customer sport teams have won titles in the TCR International Series in 2016 and 2017 with the GTI TCR, while the touring car from Hannover proved its stamina with a class win at last year’s 24 Hours of Dubai. Over 2.3 million Golf GTI produced since 1976 Sporty, top-of-the-range Golf GTI enjoy a long tradition at Volkswagen: as early as 1990, the Golf II GTI G60 (118 kW/160 PS) was busy causing quite a stir with its G-Lader supercharger. Also popular were the turbo models, editions 25/30/35 of the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of Golf, which provided an extra dose of power and sportiness compared to their respective basic model. The current range of models is successfully continuing this tradition with the Performance, Clubsport and limited-edition Clubsport S versions, with the TCR now completing the family. Since it was launched in 1976, over 2.3 million Golf GTI have been built. To be continued … More on the topic More on the TCR Story: The TCR for racing Story: The GTI family