Giugiaro, Warkuß and de Silva discuss the Golf phenomenon

Giorgetto Giugiaro, Hartmut Warkuß and Walter de Silva have one model in Volkswagen that reunites each one of them: the Golf. Each designer was responsible for the development of a generation of the historic model. Volkswagen reunited the three designers to discuss the Golf phenomenom.

Giorgetto Giugiaro (72), who was head of Italdesign was the responsible for the design of the first Golf generation, which debuted in 1974. Giugiaro casts glance back on the design of the Golf: "From my vantage point back then, it was not difficult to make the transition from the Beetle to a new vehicle type."

For the designer keeping his own rules and criteria was the most important, “When it comes to criteria for fine design, the proportions top the list. It is always somewhat of a mathematical game." And keeping his criteria was definitely a path to success as the Golf I and sold 6.78 million units until 1983.

Hartmut Warkuß (70) was chief designer of Volkswagen AG until his retirement in 2003 and was responsible for the design of the fourth and fifth generation of the Golf. He says that the work of the head of Italdesign was the inspiration for his work on the Golf. “We began with the Golf IV in 1993. I asked myself at the time how Giorgetto Giugiaro would design it.”

Warkuß: "And so we created a timeless form again and intensified the character of the Golf through the distinctive C-pillars, among other things." For Warkuß the balance within the design and its proportions are extremely important. The car also has “to suit the time in which such a design is to be valid”. The Golf IV sold 4.3 million units and is considered today by many experts a classic of tomorrow.

Walter de Silva (59), Head of Volkswagen Group Design since 2007, is already part of the Golf history as he commanded the troops which created its most recent generation. . "Messrs. Giugiaro and Warkuß have given the fundamental design to the Golf as a Volkswagen." His objective, while creating the new Golf was to preserve its essence in order to continue its perpetuation:

"Basically, Giorgetto Giugiaro and Hartmut Warkuß have written the score, a beautiful piece of music. And with my team, with Klaus Bischoff—Head of Design for the Volkswagen brand—and naturally all the others, we try to give a proper interpretation of this music. The basic score of the ‛Golf music’ has been written. What we’re carrying forward here is a further development," said de Silva.

Part of the success of the Golf and also the Volkswagen brand is according to de Silva: "Volkswagen will remain unique in the future and therefore universal. Constant changes make for unreliability for customers."