Volkswagen Golf wins two ‘legend’ awards in its 50th year
The Golf – which is celebrating its 50th birthday – was crowned The Sunday Times Legend Car of the Year as well as The Sun Legend Car at the News UK Motor Awards 2024.
Launched in 2018, the News UK Motor Awards bring together the editorial expertise and audiences of The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and talkSPORT. The awards are judged by leading automotive journalists from across News UK’s titles and champion best-in-class cars in all segments, including luxury, sports, family, adventure and electric.
These News UK Motor Awards are the latest chapter in a success story for the Golf that spans five decades, and come hot on the heels of other accolades and events celebrating the model’s 50th birthday. Just a few weeks ago, at the British Motor Show, the car was named Best Car of the Half Century. Media guests from around the world also took to the skies above Cappadocia, Turkey, in a uniquely designed hot-air balloon to mark the 50th anniversary, watched by thousands of people who gather in the region every morning to see the bucket-list ballooning tourist attraction.
Will Dron, editor of The Sunday Times website Driving.co.uk, said: “With one of the great automotive icons turning 50, there was only one contender for our legend award this year. The Golf is still the hatchback that acts as the benchmark for all contenders; a classless family car fit for everyone from painters to princesses.
“The Mk 8 always had the potential to be one of the greats of a distinguished lineage and the latest update adds polish to a winning formula. Happy birthday, Volkswagen Golf — here’s to the next half century!”
Rod McLeod, Director of Volkswagen UK, said: “Over five decades the Golf family has, with good reason, established itself as a cornerstone not just of the Volkswagen line-up in the UK but, also, of the British motoring scene as a whole. Today’s revised models demonstrate why these cars have woven themselves into the fabric of British life thanks to their classless appeal, exceptional quality and peerless practicality. With new infotainment technology and more style than ever, the latest Golf is now cementing that success still further.”