When it was launched in 1974, the Volkswagen Golf succeeded in replacing the legendary Beetle and setting new standards for the family hatchback for years to come. It also would become one of the top three bestselling cars in the world. With its stunning design by Italian design house Giorgetto Giugiario, the new car also incorporated significant engineering features such as a transverse engine that allowed for more internal space.In this revealing book, VW expert Richard Copping follows the story of the development of the Golf and the critical management and design decisions that would make the car such a worldwide success. The author shows how the concept of continuous development at Volkswagen led to the appearance of the versions of the Golf that are covered in this book -- the Mk 2 in 1983, the Mk 3 in 1991 and the Mk IV in 1997. He explores the various design and engineering changes that took place as the Golf evolved, including increased dimensions, new engines and of course the stunningly successful GTi. The fourth generation Golf also introduced powerful but economical diesel engines. The book also covers variants such as the Jetta, Vento and Boa, which accounted for most sales in the United States.Full of fascinating information, this book is a revealing analysis of the first four versions of the Volkswagen Golf.