Happy Birthday VW Golf!
04/02/2024
As we all know, car birthdays are a tricky thing - you can never really pinpoint them exactly. It is documented that production of the VW Golf began on March 29, 1974, and the presentation (to the press) is said to have taken place in May 1974. The Automobil Revue, for example, reported on the newcomer on May 23, 1974, but had already mentioned the name and shown a fairly accurate drawing on January 3, 1974.
Anyway, let's congratulate the 50-year-old on his birthday today, April 2, 2024, as various magazines have done before.
We were once again able to drive a first-generation Golf GLS, the one with the 1457 cm3 four-cylinder engine and 70 hp. And we were amazed at how modern a Golf over 45 years old is to drive. Thanks to its precise steering, it follows the steering impulses sensitively. It responds well to the accelerator and offers surprisingly comfortable suspension. Two-meter lanes at freeway construction sites are no longer a frightening prospect thanks to good visibility and compact dimensions.
The Golf is only noticeably louder than its modern descendants, and you can hear the progress made in insulation over five decades of car construction. But there is nothing to complain about in terms of usability. After just a few minutes you don't have to look anywhere, all the controls are intuitive.
Looking back, it's easy to understand why the Golf was such a success. It was simply a really well-made car ...
P.S. Thanks to AMAG Classic for the opportunity to drive the Golf GLS.
