When it was launched in 1974, the Volkswagen Golf succeeded in replacing the legendary Beetle and setting new standards for the family hatchback for years to come. It would become one of the top three bestselling cars in the world. With its stunning design by Giorgetto Giugiaro, founder of Ital design, the new car also incorporated significant engineering features such as a transverse engine that allowed for more internal space.In this revealing book, VW expert Richard Copping follows the story of the development of the Golf and the critical management and design decisions that would make the car such a worldwide success. The author shows how the concept of continuous development at Volkswagen led to the appearance of the versions of the Golf that are covered in this book — the Mk 2 in 1983, the Mk 3 in 1991, and the Mk IV in 1997. He explores the various design and engineering changes that took place as the Golf evolved, including increased dimensions, new engines and of course the stunningly successful GTi. The fourth generation Golf also introduced powerful but economical diesel engines. The book also covers variants such as the Jetta, Vento and Bora, which accounted for most sales in the United States.Full of fascinating information, this book is a revealing analysis of the first four versions of the Volkswagen Golf.

An enthusiast of the VW marque for over 40 years, Richard Copping has written the best part of thirty books about the classic VW Beetle and its derivatives, the Transporter in its various guises, the Karmann Ghia 'sports' coupé and the sportier earlier incarnations of the VW Golf. Well known as a Concours judge, he attends a good number of shows on the VW circuit and is a regular contributor to one of the top magazines devoted to the VW Camper and its commercial brethren.