Thirty Years of the Volkswagen Golf & Rabbit & Complete Book of GTI 2 Book Set

In the early 1970s, Volkswagen was in deep trouble. Its venerable rear-engine air-cooled Beetle could no longer meet upcoming government regulations and its once phenomenal sales numbers had begun to slide. Something new was needed and the Giugiaro-designed Volkswagen Golf rose above all of the other concepts and designs. The Golf (called the Rabbit in the U.S.) was a modern car so different from the ancient Beetle, and in fact so different from anything else on the market that in Europe it's not called the "compact" class or "hatchback" class; it's called the "GOLF" class. This book covers the fascinating transition from Beetle to Golf and the subsequent development of the car that became Volkswagen's new icon. Included are Volkswagen archival photographs of early development projects and details about the people who built these charismatic cars. The story is more than facts and figures. It is an adventurous tale of a company whose future rested on the fenders of a hatchback economy car - a car that ultimately became a favorite of car enthusiasts around the world.

Take a visually thrilling joy ride through the complete history and influence of one of the most enduring and pleasurable consumer-focused sports cars of all time.

VW has sold over 2.5 million Golf GTIs across eight generations since its debut in 1975 as a 1976 model, and the car remains popular with both seasoned and newer collectors, including Gen X and Millennial enthusiasts. Celebrating 50 years of continuous production, The Complete Book of Volkswagen GTI is the ultimate resource for the sportier side of VW enthusiasts and racing fans. This comprehensive book features:

• A look back at the GTI’s rich racing history, including World Rally, Touring Car, and other categories
• Details on other performance models like the Scirocco, Corrado, Golf R32, Jetta GLI, and more
• Lavishly illustrated pages 

The Complete Book of Volkswagen GTI will delight and inspire any classic racing fan and VW enthusiast in your life.