This sporty Volkswagen coupé debuted in 1974 as a lower, more expressive two-door alternative to the brand’s mainstream family cars. Developed with Karmann and styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, it used the same front-engine, front-wheel-drive formula that helped define Volkswagen’s modern era, but wrapped it in a compact 2+2 body with a practical hatchback layout. The original run established the nameplate as a lightweight, affordable enthusiast car and gave Volkswagen an early foothold in the compact sports-coupé market.
The second generation arrived in 1981 with a sharper, wedge-shaped design and a more mature road presence. It kept the same basic mission while growing more refined over time, including performance-oriented variants that strengthened its reputation among drivers who wanted something sportier than a Golf but still usable every day. That generation remained in production until 1992, when the nameplate was discontinued after more than a decade on the market.
After a long hiatus, Volkswagen revived the name in 2008 with a third generation that reimagined the concept as a modern compact sports coupé. This version borrowed its underpinnings from the contemporary Golf family but had its own distinctive styling and a more focused, three-door silhouette. It remained on sale through 2017, giving the nameplate two clearly separated production eras: the original 1974–1992 run and the later 2008–2017 comeback. Among Volkswagen enthusiasts, the model is remembered as one of the brand’s most distinctive coupes and an important bridge between practical hatchbacks and genuine driver-focused cars.