Volkswagen has released a nostalgic video celebrating the history of the Golf ahead of the launch of its latest, updated version next month.

The revamped Volkswagen Golf – said to have undergone a ‘major update’ – is set to make its world premiere in November. 

The YouTube video (see below) looks back at 1974 – the year of the Golf Mk1’s introduction – when ABBA won the European Song Contest with “Waterloo”, Germany won the World Cup for the second time and Muhammad Ali defeated George Foreman in the most legendary boxing match of all time. The video closes with a Mk1 Golf being pursued along a twisty country road by examples of each of the following six generations. 

As successor to the VW Beetle, the first generation Golf was a great success, achieving sales of 6.99 million.

Klaus Bischoff says: “The step from the Beetle to the Golf was revolutionary. The change from the air-cooled rear engine to the water-cooled front engine created a completely new vehicle layout.” Round became square – a paradigm shift. Bischoff, Head of Design at Volkswagen explains: “The main design elements of the Golf Mk1 were the side profile with its upright, solid C-pillar; the distinctive wheel arches; and the horizontal front with the slim grille and downwardly protruding head-lights – present to this very day in every Golf.” 

Volkswagen describes the forthcoming Golf as the update of a style-icon. All will be revealed in November.