The Golf, the most successful European car, is turning 45. On 29 March 1974, the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg officially started production of what would become its best seller. Back then, nobody at Volkswagen had any idea that the successor to the legendary Beetle would end up selling more than 35 million units all over the world - and still selling to this day.

In purely mathematical terms, a new Golf has been ordered somewhere in the world every 41 seconds, every day, without interruption, since the start of production 45 years ago. That is an average of around 780,000 vehicles per year.

As one of the compact models on the global market that most defies classification, the Golf is set to remain a key product pillar of the Volkswagen brand. With its state-of-the-art drive, assist systems, infotainment and operating systems, it will provide a decisive impetus for the future of mobility.