A look back at the first generation: In 1976, the first Golf GTI turned the sports car world upside downProduction hero meets rally toughness: Volkswagen Classic is presenting two faces of the Golf GTI in Bremen from 30 January to 1 February 2026
The Golf GTI is the compact athlete for all situations in life. With more than 2.5 million units produced, it is a true success model. To kick off the anniversary year, Volkswagen is presenting two vehicles from the first generation at the Bremen Classic Motorshow: a Mars Red Golf I GTI from 1979 and a Brilliant Black Golf I GTI from 1983 in the original rally patina.
A success story since 1976. When the Golf GTI came onto the market in 1976, nobody suspected that the 81 kW (110 PS) compact sports car with the red frame in the radiator grille, black wheel housing extensions and the legendary golf ball gear knob would quickly become the world’s most successful compact sports car. Initially, only 5,000 units were planned. But dealers already sold