The UK car industry was once one of Germany’s biggest competitors; now it has become one of its biggest assets, argues author Dominic Sandbrook. How did Germany accelerate away?
Forty years ago, Germany’s biggest carmakers were putting the finishing touches to a product that would change their image forever.
The Volkswagen Golf is one of the bestselling cars of all time. It made its debut in 1974, the year West Germany won the World Cup at home in Munich and the German band Kraftwerk released their ground-breaking album Autobahn.
Ever since, the Golf has been shorthand for mass-market success. Last year VW sold more than 430,000 Golfs all over Europe – a staggering 125,000 ahead of its closest rival.
This year they brought out a brand-new, seventh incarnation. And even if you don’t own one yourself, there’s undoubtedly one in a drive near you.
Related: “The VW Camper Van: A Biography“.