Evolution of an icon - Volkswagen Golf

With over 33 million units produced worldwide, the Volkswagen Golf is one of the most iconic cars ever. Here's a look at how it has evolved over the years.

The Golf Mk1 was introduced to replace the Beetle as the 'People's Car' and marked a new era for volume models. A new vehicle layout was created with the conversion from an air-cooled rear engine to a water-cooled front engine, and from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive.

The Golf GTI Mk1 was one of the first small hatchbacks to adopt mechanical fuel injection.

The debut of the first Golf Cabriolet would go on to herald over 680,000 drivers of this iconic car until 2002.

The Golf Mk2 boasted an extended wheelbase and interior dimensions over its predecessor. It was also the Mk2 generation that introduced the regulated catalytic converter in 1984 and the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in 1986.

The all-wheel drive system on the Golf Syncro was the prelude to the 4MOTION system known and loved today. Less than 30,000 Syncro models were built during 1986 and 1989.

The Golf citySTROMer was the first electric Volkswagen to enter serial production and was the forerunner to the e-Golf.

The Golf Mk3 was applauded for its fresh design, as well as its major advances in the area of car body construction. It was also the first in the series to have front airbags (in 1992). With significantly improved crash safety and a new exterior look, the Golf went on to win the 1992 European Car of the Year award.

Electronic Stability Control was introduced in the Mk4 in 1998 and standardised on all Golf cars in 1999. The Mk4 went on to be the best-selling car in Europe in 2001.

The R32 was the first production car to come with a dual-clutch transmission, which paved the way for Volkswagen's direct shift gearbox (DSG).

This was the first time that the Golf's bonnet followed the contour of the head lights, like a sports car.

The Mk6 took the title of World Car of the Year, and was the first Golf to come with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It also came with Adaptive Cruise Control, a regenerative braking mode, and a Park Assist system.

The Golf R was confirmed to be the R32's replacement in 2009.

The Golf Mk7 won Car of the Year 2014 in Europe, as well as in Japan, making it the first ever non-Japanese car to win. It also featured a City Emergency Braking function.

The Golf GTI Cabriolet was the first open-top model in the history of the GTI.

This moved the Golf one step closer to becoming one of the few vehicles in the world to offer all relevant drive types at the time - petrol, diesel, and natural gas.

The Golf Variant is also known as the Golf Estate in other markets around the world. A version with the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system is known as the Golf Alltrack.

The e-Golf has an all-electric range of 130km to 190km.

The GTE makes the Golf the world's first car to offer all relevant types of drive systems. It has an all-electric range of 50km and is capable of reaching up to 130km/h using the electric motor alone. It also uses a triple-clutch system, which is made up of two drive clutches and a disengagement clutch between the TSI and electric motor.