VW’s greatest hits

01 Volkswagen Beetle

The original ‘people’s car’ survived war and the defeat of the regime that effectively created it to become one of the world’s most iconic, best-selling cars. Production continued in some form until 2003, by which time over 21 million Beetles had been sold.

02 Volkswagen Type 2

Like the Beetle (the Type 1), VW’s Type 2 van found favour with peace and love types back in the Sixties. But it was popular everywhere – VW built the van with all kinds of body styles and, like the Beetle again, left it on sale for decades in some parts of the world.

03 Volkswagen Golf

The front-engined, front-drive replacement for the Beetle. First launched in 1974 and styled by Giugiaro, it was an instant hit. VW sold a million by the end of ’76. Now in its eighth generation, still going strong, and still the benchmark against which other hatches are measured.

04 Volkswagen Golf GTI/R

There are too many excellent fast Golfs to list. So we’re covering them all off here. There might have been a few duffers along the way, but broadly speaking, from the MkI GTI right the way through to today’s MkVIII Golf R, a fast Golf is a lovely thing.

05 Volkswagen Up

A tiny but brilliantly engineered, refined and solid-feeling city car. There were near-identical Seat and Skoda versions too, but even though the VW was a bit more money it was the one everyone wanted. Up GTI a proper little hero – similar size, weight and power to MkI Golf GTI.

06 Volkswagen XL1

One of the strangest VWs ever put into production, the XL1 was a hugely clever eco-car that married a tiny diesel engine, a lithium-ion battery and slippery carbon-fibre construction for astonishing results. As incredible an engineering achievement as a Veyron. It cost around £100,000 new.

07 Volkswagen Scirocco

The three-door coupe-ified version of the Golf, which actually came out a few months before the big-selling five-door hatch, was Volkswagen doing sexy. Second/third-gen cars, and the short-lived Corrado (especially the VR6) are noteworthy too.

08 Volkswagen California

VW’s Transporter is an excellent van. Better still when it’s decked out as a California, with a bed and cupboards in the back for weekend getaways. As comfortable and refined as vans get – a daily driver with added potential for adventure. We love these things.

09 Volkswagen ID.R

One day VW decided it wanted to have a crack at Pikes Peak. In much less than a year, a team of 30 engineers created a 670bhp, 1,100kg e-rocket capable of otherworldly speed and g-force. Can do 0–125mph in 5.0secs, and holds records at Pikes Peak, the Ring and Goodwood.