From the perspective of product evolution, golf is definitely a very successful car series in the market, and a car that Volkswagen has painstakingly operated for 48 years has achieved cumulative sales of 40 million units around the world, and a brilliant report card has become a myth of this era.
In 1974, Volkswagen introduced the first generation of models, and the golf that came out of nowhere offered consumers new options. Surprisingly, the original Golf sold 1 million in just two and a half years, and it's clear that the speed of success exceeded everyone's expectations.
For the public, golf opens up a huge consumer market, so the replacement injects new design concepts into golf, replaces with new technologies, and becomes a must-do thing for every generation.
For Chinese consumers, the myth of golf is also outstanding, since the first generation of golf MK4 in 2004 to the present, it has gone through 18 years of history in China, each generation of golf also with its own super product power, attracting user groups of different eras.
Golf MK4, opening the Chinese hatchback culture
The first generation of golf MK4 to enter the Chinese market is already a mature model, in that era of scarce products, Golf took the lead in creating a hatchback.
It has a very rounded shape, while achieving the mainstream in configuration, and Volkswagen based on the iterative experience of the first three generations of products and years of technical reserves, put a lot of excellent technology on this golf.
For example, in terms of configuration, the Golf MK4 at that time was equipped with a CD player as standard, which enhanced the entertainment configuration, while the front and rear power windows, rearview mirrors were heated, and the remote control key was full of attraction in that era.
In terms of core power, the Golf MK4 was equipped with a new 1.6L engine, which seemed to have obvious technical characteristics at the time, such as a lighter weight, better heat dissipation, and a more advanced aluminum alloy steel cover, while the chassis structure adopted the then popular front McPherson rear composite torque beam non-independent suspension, due to the first three generations of tuning technology reserves, this generation of golf has a stronger ability to stick to the ground, more stable power, more reliable quality and more uniform steering feel.
As the first generation of golf to enter the Chinese market, MK4 provides a very strong foundation for the later development of golf, many people know the excellence of golf through this car, whether it is in design, control or exquisiteness, in the era of 2003, the advantages of Golf MK4 are ahead of schedule.
MK6, let golf quality into thousands of households
What really makes countless Chinese feel the charm of golf is actually the Golf MK6 that debuted in 2009, and this famous model is often talked about even now.
Golf MK6 in the technical level to lead the same level of products an era, due to the more obvious technical iteration of the golf MK5 is not domestic reasons, so that the Golf MK6 has too many highlights worth analyzing.
In the domestic market, consumers saw the charm of Turbo for the first time on the golf, although the 1.4T engine is not large, but it has a maximum horsepower of 131Ps and a maximum torque of 220 Nm, the characteristics of the turbine are to make the power greatly advanced, 1750 rpm output 220 Nm of torque, the sense of sport is greatly enhanced.
At the same time, Volkswagen also used DOHC dual overhead camshaft technology on this engine, and the intake and exhaust have two camshafts to make the engine quieter and smoother, while also having more torque and lower fuel consumption.
At that time, the industry's recognition of Turbo was very low, but the Golf MK6 had already put the 1.4T engine in the main thrust position, and more than a decade later, this 1.4T engine proved the success of the strategic technology at that time.
In addition, the Golf MK6 is also equipped with more mainstream technology, such as the front and rear brake disc design that can make the braking distance shorter, and the side airbag that greatly improves safety has become the standard of the 1.4T version, while ESP, reversing radar, fixed speed cruise, and uphill assist, which were extremely rare at the time, also appeared on the Golf MK6.
According to incomplete statistics, the Golf MK6 has completed at least 500,000 new car sales in the 5 years of sales, becoming a successful hatchback market segment at that time, and it is this Golf MK6 that allows more people to contact and recognize golf culture.
MK7, pushing Golf to the extreme
With the cultural precipitation of the Golf MK6, the first golf MK7 launched in 2015 easily sold 192,000 new cars, becoming the champion model in the A-class hatchback market.
As a new generation, the technical upgrade of the Golf MK7 is more obvious, and for the first time, it adopts the newly developed MQB platform, which is safer, more reliable and does a better lightweight work.
Also the 1.4T automatic version, the Golf MK7 in the size of the Golf MK6 in the case of a larger size, the weight is also 90kg lighter, it is worth mentioning that the two models in the price gap is not large, the Golf MK7 configuration is more abundant.
At this time, whether it is the UNITED IIHS or the European E-NCAP, China's C-NCAP crash test has given a five-star praise, all of which are thanks to the newly upgraded MQB platform.
The Golf MK7 is more like a delicate young sports hatchback, more in line with the mainstream development of the new era in terms of design, it has sharper lines, a change in the golf MK6 gentle round design, visual sense of combat, while equipped with a larger horsepower, more torque EA211 engine, the matching DSG dual clutch is not only faster response, but also clearer shift logic.
The product evolved to this generation, pay attention to the economy, energy saving, high efficiency, so in the configuration we see the difference of the Golf MK7, it has a safer tire pressure monitoring function, but also equipped with a more comfortable automatic parking function, providing Bluetooth telephone and in-car atmosphere lights.
For users at that time, it was difficult to find a sharp design product in the market, and the Golf had already made a name for itself in the market at this time, with the new upgrade of the power, the MQB platform to bring a more stable driving experience and a richer configuration than the previous generation of models, in just a few years, the Golf MK7 completed more than 600,000 new car sales in the market.
The feedback from users is very direct, the Golf MK7 is a very worthwhile model to start, its earth-shaking changes have allowed countless people to experience the true strength of golf.
MK8, digital culture swept in
Although the Golf MK7 was strong and attractive enough, Volkswagen decided to upgrade the golf.
In terms of positioning, the style of the Golf MK8 is completely different, making intelligent technology more obvious is the characteristics of the new golf, and this generation of products has been rebuilt in terms of design and intelligent cockpit.
At the design level, the Golf MK8 brings in the young atmosphere needed today, the sense of line continues to be optimized, and the dimensions of headlights, sides, and tails that can experience the sense of design fit the young consumer demands of the moment, and at the same time bring new senses in the smart cockpit.
At the configuration level, the 8.25-inch central control large-screen color is better, the mobile phone interconnection and multimedia system are more mature, and the 10.2-inch LCD display is used to implant wireless charging function and provide the fast charging interface that Type-C needs most nowadays.
These changes have made golf MK8 more intelligent, can solve more user pain points in the new era, charging, intelligent experience, human-computer interconnection has a stronger attraction, it is clear that in this generation of user groups pay more attention to the intelligent experience of the situation, Golf MK8 also brought its own changes.
Obviously, this generation of golf is facing younger Z generation users, young, design, intelligent is the product power they need, and the Golf MK8 can also deal with accurately.
Each generation of golf is actually constantly evolving, from exquisite to home, from young to today's intelligence, golf initiative to conform to the market behind, is the inevitable result of volkswagen constantly looking for the direction of market development, with 48 years to do a good car, which shows the volkswagen century-old enterprise's strong strategic vision and technical reserve strength, which also determines that each generation of golf has its unshakable market position.
The reason why Volkswagen will spend 48 years to refine a car, it wants to present the market with more than just a car, but also its pragmatic, constantly challenging the limit of the breakthrough desire, which is why Volkswagen and Golf have never let us down, it is challenging itself again and again, running forward again and again.
He is the most popular graphic author of the 2017 China Auto Creators Conference; he has been rated as the creator of "Brilliant Pen And Flowers, Turning Stones into Gold" by Yiyi Information; in 2019, he was named the annual automotive influence self-media by UC Automobile, and in 2021, he was rated as one of the top 100 automotive media by Yiche.