Critical Knowledge:
- All-new design for 2010
- 3- and 5-door versions
- Front- or 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD)
- Gas and diesel powerplant options
- Manual or DSG transmissions offered
- Set to debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show
- Sales in the United States in fall 2009
Introduction
Introduced in 1974 as a replacement for the air-cooled Volkswagen Beetle, the Volkswagen Golf has been one of the German automaker’s greatest hits. With more than 25 million units sold worldwide since its first introduction, the Golf (and its sibling “Rabbit” in the United States) is the world’s third best-selling model, according to VW. Over the past five generations, the compact-sized Golf has been configured in 3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, station wagon, and convertible variants. Originally conceived as a simple front-wheel-drive (FWD) 4-cylinder economy hatchback in the 1970s, the diversity of late-model versions demonstrates the flexibility of the platform. Today’s Golf/Rabbit offerings range from fuel-efficient diesel-powered sedans to high-performance, race-oriented, AWD 6-cylinder hatchbacks.
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