In March 1973, a Volkswagen test engineer wrote an internal memo proposing a sporty version of the new Golf. Development chief Ernst Fiala turned it down. Volkswagen’s own history quotes him: “It’s far too expensive, you’re all mad.” A small group of engineers went on anyway. Officially, their prototype was a test platform for the chassis.
In May 1975, the team showed the car to VW’s chief executive Toni Schmücker, who approved it. The Golf GTI was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1975 and went on sale in 1976. According to Volkswagen, dealers sold ten times the planned number in the first year.