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Yes, we're going to shock you - the name "Golf" doesn't have anything to do with the game itself. Not even remotely. Those who understand German will know why, but for those of you who don't, well, read on. We promise you won't be bored, for there's a little bit of interesting heritage going on within this family. |
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| 17 Sep 2008 | Story by Amery Reuben. |
Viewed : 12,411 times |
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Remember the original Beetle? It was all the rage during the sixties. Ferdinand Porsche’s iconic creation proved to be a huge hit. That is, until the novelty wore off amidst financial difficulties during the oil-crisis at the time. Front-engined, rear driven Japanese creations like the Toyota Corolla were quickly starting to gain popularity worldwide.
Therefore, replacing the Beetle was important for VW’s survival. They turned to a small, Ingolstadt based company from the Auto Union that they had acquired in 1964 from Daimler-Benz – none other than Audi.
It seemed that Audi, at the time, had been toying around with the idea of a water-cooled, front-engined, front-wheel driven concept much like the Citroen Traction (1934), Renault 4 and Austin Mini. By means of eliminating the rear transaxle and driveline altogether, weight would be saved, and there would be gains in both space and performance. Volkswagen adopted this novel idea in 1969, improved on it and made their mark with, transverse, front engined, front driven layout that stays true till this day.
 Golf I and II - Nothing to do with it!
The Golf lent its humble name not to the game where people amble around aimlessly through vast patches of green, hitting white, pint-sized objects with a contraption that appears better utilised as a weapon.
It was deliberately named “Golf-Strom,” which is German for the Gulf Stream. Later on, it was simply shortened to “Golf.” The Mark I was of course, the water-cooled, front wheel driven hatchback that went into production in 1974. Engines ranged from a puny 1.1-litre to the workhorse 1.6 that produced 68 hp in 1983, just before it was replaced.
It featured independent Macpherson struts in front and a semi-independent, torsion-beam rear. This meant a firmly sprung and better dampened ride with improved cornering performance, which effectively won it Wheels magazine's Car of the Year, 1975.
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From Iceland - Volkswagen Golf 6 |
Road Test, Blog, Video |
| "The editorial team heads to Iceland during the week of Formula One, in order to bring you the latest on the new Volkswagen Golf 6, including a good shakedown. Be sure to follow our live coverage of the event, interviews, insider information on Iceland and the beautiful girls via our online blog-microsite. Also, stand a chance to win attractive prizes! Details when you click on the link.." |
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