Present: MkIV - The Story

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Mark 4

Production 1999-2005
Assembly Wolfsburg, Germany
Curitiba, Brazil, Slovakia
Body style(s) 3-door hatchback
5-door station wagon
5-door hatchback
Layout FF layout
Platform Volkswagen A4 platform
Engine(s) 1.4L 75 hp I4
1.9L 90 hp I4
1.6L 100 hp I4
1.6L 105 hp I4
2.0L 115 hp I4
1.8L 125 hp I4
1.8L 150 hp Turbo I4
1.8L 180 hp Turbo I4
2.3L 150 hp V5 10V
2.3L 170 hp V5 20V
2.8L 174 hp VR6 12V
2.8L 204 hp VR6 24V
3.2L 241 hp VR6 24V

Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic
5-speed manual
6-speed manual
Wheelbase 98.9 in (2512 mm)
R32: 99.1 in (2517 mm)
Length 1999-2002 GTI/Golf: 163.3 in (4148 mm)
2003-06 GTI/Golf: 164.9 in (4188 mm)
R32: 164.4 in (4176 mm)
Width GTI/R32/Golf: 68.3 in (1735 mm)
Height GTI/Golf: 56.7 in (1440 mm)
R32: 56.1 in (1425 mm)

VW Golf 5-door (US)Launched in 1997, the Golf 4 (or VW Typ 1J) became the biggest selling car in Europe at one point. It was a deliberate attempt to take the Golf further upmarket, with a high-quality interior and higher equipment levels. Overall the level of maturity of the design and its target audience were also evident — the humorous plays on the game of golf which resulted in special edition models of the three earlier generations being called "Golf Ryder", "Golf Driver", not to mention the GTI's "golf ball" gearlever knob were dropped, and replaced with a more subtly styled golf ball knob.
Design and engineering
As with the B4 Passat the year before, the Golf Mark 4 was a significant car in its class. As with its big brother, not only was it the first step of VW moving its products upmarket to plug a gap between the mainstream machines and the premium cars, with SEAT and Å koda taking over as the mainstream brands in the Volkswagen Group; it also brought in a new level of interior quality and sophistication never seen before from a mainstream brand in the class. In fact, the quality of the Golf was on a par with its sister Audi A3 from the year before. Although costing slightly more than its rivals, the price difference showed when it came to luxury and upmarket feel. Rivals launched beforehand now appeared cheap, while, famously, Ford engineers and designers were so far into the development cycle with the yet-to-be-launched Mark 1 Focus, they were unable to react to the Golf, and could only make minor changes to the Focus' interior, which Ford initially felt would be ahead of rivals.[citation needed]

However, the advent of the Mark 4 Golf meant that many mainstream rivals in the class had to raise their game with interior quality to the point where there are now virtually no differences in quality levels between some mainstream and premium cars in the class. Only the budget brands in the class have not kept pace, but their prices reflect this. More telling, though, is that its replacement did not repeat the Mk 4's quality 100%.

The latest model remained faithful to the Golf concept but included some of the new "arched" styling themes first seen on the Mark 4 Passat. The overall effect is far more pleasing than the previous model.

2000 Golf Cabrio FaceliftHowever, the upgrade of the vehicle's interior materials and exterior details where at the expense of the vehicle's chassis, which was average. Daily driving concealed the average dynamics in ride and handling, which was inferior to that of the Mk A Vauxhall Astra / Mark 2 Opel Astra. However, the car's reputation was safe until Ford's launch of the Ford Focus a year later. The chassis ability of the Ford was to have a profound effect on Volkswagen's replacement for the Mk 4 Golf.

As with the Mk 2 Golf, Volkswagen did not make a convertible version of the Mk 4 Golf. Instead, the firm lifted the Mk 3 Golf Cabrio's face to give it the frontal styling of the Mk 4 Golf hatchbacks.

GTI 337 edition (2002)

Volkswagen GTI 337 EditionThe GTI 337 was officially introduced at the New York Auto Show and made it to dealers by late May 2002. The price of the GTI 337 was $22,225 in the U.S. and $32,900 in Canada. Only 1,500 units were produced for the US market with an additional 250 for the Canadian market. This model only came in Reflex Silver.

"The 337 name comes from the code name for the Golf model back in the early 1970s," said Frank Maguire, vice president in charge of sales and marketing at Volkswagen of America, Inc. "The GTI is the sport version of the Golf and since we didn't begin selling the GTI here until 1983, the name 337 seemed like a nice way to recognise the history of this vehicle and make it meaningful to our most enthusiastic drivers. This is a very unique [sic] car for the Volkswagen lover."

Starting with a 180 hp 1.8T GTI GLS, the following extra equipment and changes have been made:

18" BBS RC Wheels with 225/40-ZR18 High-Performance Summer Tires; greatly improved sport suspension and 1" lower overall ride height; Votex body kit with front valance, side skirts, rear hatch wing and rear valance with 3" chromed exhaust tip; 315 mm (12.3") diameter vented front and 256 mm (10") rear vented brakes with red powder coated calipers; all-new six-speed MQ350 transmission; Recaro front seats in special "Le Mans" red and black cloth with custom GTI embroidery; brushed aluminum interior trim accents; red stitching on steering wheel, shift boot, handbrake knob seat belts and seats; special golf ball shift knob; aluminum pedals with rubber inserts; stainless steel exhaust with mild sound tuning; red trimmed floor mats; special exterior retro GTI badging; Monsoon sound system (U.S. only); and more.


20th anniversary edition (2003)

Following the initial commemorative 20th anniversary edition GTI produced in Europe in 1996 and the overwhelming popularity of the 25th anniversary edition GTI produced 2001 (GTI 337 edition in North America), Volkswagen of America produced 4,200 so-branded "20th Anniversary Edition" GTIs and 4000 were shipped to the United States and 200 to Canada. This event, in 2003, marked the 20th anniversary of the GTI's first introduction to the U.S. and Canadian market and some 7 years after the first GTI was produced in Europe. Several special features distinguish this new GTI from the rest of the pack.

On the outside, the 20th came with throwback red-lettered GTI logos on the left front and right rear. The rear was also accompanied by a vintage-look chrome rabbit. Blackened headlights added a distinctive look, while Votex front, rear, and side skirts along with a hatch spoiler and special edition 18" OZ Aristo alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sports complete the exterior transformation. These models were produced only in three colours: Imola Yellow, Jazz Blue and Black Magic Pearl. Distribution of production was 50% Black magic pearl, 25% Jazz Blue and 25% Imola Yellow.

Inside, a few accents were noticeable. Unlike other models, there were no options offered. The only true option was ESP, Volkswagen's stability control feature. All 20ths had a sunroof, black headliner, golf ball shift knob, black leather steering wheel with silver stitching, black leather shifter boot with silver stitching, preforated leather covered hand brake handle, and sporty black cloth Recaro bucket seats with silver stitching accents and red GTI emblems embroidered in the middle of the back rests. Aluminum trim came standard, complete with a numbered nameplate above the center console identifying the exact production number (US production only) of the vehicle. Volkswagen's premier 8-speaker Monsoon(tm) stereo system was also standard.

Mechanically, the 20th Anniversary Edition GTI is nearly identical to the GTI 337 Edition. A 6-speed manual MQ350 transmission marked the most notable departure from the norm, and upgraded suspension stiffened up the ride and lowered the car approximately 30 mm (uprated springs and shocks, increased sway bar diameters, and revised bushings in the rear). Upgraded disc brakes front (12.3" vented rotors) and rear (10.3" vented rotors) helped bring things to a stop, while red powder-coated calipers added a bit of flair to the package.

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R32 (2004)

US-spec Volkswagen R32
US-spec Volkswagen R32In 2002, Volkswagen produced the Golf R32 in Europe as a 2003 model. Due to unexpected popularity, Volkswagen (through Volkswagen of America) decided to sell the car in the United States as the 2004 Volkswagen R32. Billed as the pinnacle of the Golf IV platform, the R32 included every performance, safety, and luxury feature VW had to offer including the all new 3.2 L 24-valve VR6 engine producing a claimed 241 bhp and 236 lb ft of torque (it is commonly thought the U.S. R32 received the higher output Audi TT engine producing 250 bhp), AWD, a new 6-speed manual transmission, independent rear suspension, automatic climate control, sport seats from Koenig, 18" OZ Aristo wheels, Electronic Stability Programme, massive (334 mm) brakes, sunroof, and model specific bodywork. In the US the vehicle was available in only four colours: Black Magic Pearl, Deep Blue Pearl, Reflex Silver, and Tornado Red.

The distribution of colours were as follows:
Deep Blue Pearl: 40%
Reflex Silver: 35%
Black Magic Pearl: 15%
Tornado Red: 10%

Although the R32 shared a similar appearance with the 25th Anniversary GTI, the R32 shared the vast majority of its major components with the 3.2 L Audi TT, most notably, the engine, all wheel drive system, and both front and rear suspension geometries. Five thousand cars were produced and intended to be sold over a two-year period, but the entire line was sold out within 13 months.

The Golf R32's competitors (at the time of production) were the Subaru Impreza WRX STi and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII, although, unlike these cars, the R32 was not sponsored by Volkswagen in rally competitions. Instead of testing the car by participating in WRC Rally Racing, VW focused on the stability and drivability in everyday conditions, creating a car that cannot be compared to the Subaru Impreza WRX STi or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII.

The R32 remains the quickest car that Volkswagen has imported to the U.S., capable of 0-100 Km/h in only 6.6 seconds, and clearing the quarter mile in only 14.1 seconds at 99.2 mph. The R32 edges out its fastest sibling, the top-of-the-line Phaeton 6.0 litre W12 (414 bhp), by a tenth of a second at the 1320 foot mark.

It also has a surprisingly high resale and used-car value; the Kelley Blue Book used car retail price (the price an individual might expect to pay for one from a dealer) for a model in excellent condition with low mileage actually exceeds the original retail price of the car in many cases, making it one of a few recent cars that have actually approached an increase in value over time. This premium can be explained mostly due to scarcity, both of the cars themselves due to low production and importation, and especially ones that still have extremely low mileage.