The VW Golf is a compact-class passenger car that has been produced by Volkswagen since 1974 and is now in its eighth generation. It is one of the most frequently built cars in the world. With its dimensions, the Golf lies between a small car and a typical mid-size car and is considered the founder of the compact class, which today is also referred to as the lower mid-size class. All VW Golfs, unless they have four-wheel drive, have front-wheel drive and are propelled by a transverse, water-cooled four-stroke in-line engine. When demand for the VW Beetle fell at the end of the 1960s and Volkswagen slipped into a veritable crisis, the VW Golf became the great beacon of hope for the German car manufacturer. And it immediately proved to be a bestseller, which it has remained to this day. In June 2002, the Golf took over the title of the world's most-built car from the VW Beetle and became its direct successor. It was not until 2020 that the Golf was replaced by the Renault Clio as the best-selling car in Europe. The VW Golf I was the first model series and was built from 1974 to 1983. It owes its characteristic hatchback body, the basic concept for all subsequent Golf series, to Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. Model in 1:12 scale, with 1510 parts, printed blocks and moving elements.