[Report] 2,500 Old Cars Gathered... Volkswagen Golf Parade Becomes Urban Festival

Volkswagen Golf High-Performance GTI Festival
GTI Owners Gather in Wolfsburg for Celebration
Various GTI Models Displayed from Classic to New Cars
Car Parade at Wolfsburg Factory with Own Vehicles
Crowds Gather from Europe and Worldwide

"I bought a 1983 Golf GTI first-generation model just a month ago. Only to participate in this event."

Phil Kimber (43, photo), whom we met at the 'Volkswagen GTI Fan Fest' held in Wolfsburg, Germany on the 28th of last month (local time), said this. Kimber, who works as a railway signalman in the UK, reportedly shipped his 1983 Golf GTI first-generation model by boat and drove all the way to Germany.

He said he chose a Golf as his first car in his teenage years and explained why he bought a Golf GTI old car again after more than 20 years: "First of all, this car has good performance and is stylish," adding, "If you drive a first-generation Golf on the streets now, everyone will recognize it."

On the 28th of last month (local time), British participant Phil Kimber took a commemorative photo with his first-generation Golf GTI at the Volkswagen GTI Fan Fest held in Wolfsburg, Germany.
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

Natalia Aleshkevich (28), an old car enthusiast and influencer, drove from Belarus to Germany to participate in the festival that day. Aleshkevich, who started restoring and driving a 'Scirocco MK2' with her husband five years ago, said, "It took considerable time and effort to find parts and repair it," and added, "This is my first time participating in the festival, and I am happy to exhibit the car we have worked hard on." The Scirocco MK2 is a sports model that shares a platform with the first-generation Golf.

Many people gathered at the Volkswagen GTI Fan Fest held in Wolfsburg, Germany, on the 28th of last month (local time).
[Photo by Volkswagen]

The GTI Festival is a gathering of owners of high-performance Volkswagen hatchback Golf models. GTI owners from Europe and around the world display their cars and share information. The event started in 1982 from the idea of an Austrian actor. At the time, it was a thought of holding a modest festival among owners of the best-selling European model, the Golf GTI. What was once a small voluntary gathering of GTI fans grew into a large-scale event with the support of the local community.

This year’s event was held in Wolfsburg, the headquarters of Volkswagen, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Golf’s birth. More than 2,500 Golfs and over 15,000 people gathered. Not only male participants who love cars but also middle-aged women enjoying the festival with friends and family participants visiting with children were noticeable.

On the 28th of last month (local time), Golf GTI old cars were exhibited at the Volkswagen GTI Fan Fest held in Wolfsburg, Germany.
[Photo by Volkswagen]

On the 28th of last month (local time), participants of the Volkswagen GTI Fan Fest held in Wolfsburg, Germany, are waiting for the car parade.
[Photo by Volkswagen]

Old cars that looked like they would have drawn all the attention if it were Korea were scattered throughout the venue. Most of the cars were as clean as new cars in appearance. It was a testament to how much the owners cherished and carefully drove their cars all the way here.

The highlight of the event was the car parade. About 200 vehicles lined up and drove across the middle of the Wolfsburg factory. Volkswagen willingly opened the mother plant for Golf GTI fans. Established in 1938, this factory operated even during World War II. The large trees standing throughout the factory seemed to tell the story of the factory’s long history.

From the first to the eighth generation, Golf GTI models drove in a line through the middle of this factory. All the colors were red, symbolizing the GTI. The sight of a procession of old cars of a single model passing through a historic factory was truly spectacular.

Thomas Sch?fer, Volkswagen CEO, who participated in the event, said, "The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a living legend in the automotive industry, and the GTI Fan Fest, created by fans themselves, has also established itself as a beloved automotive culture event over the past decades," adding, "We will continue the perfect combination of fans, Golf, and Wolfsburg in the future."

On the 28th of last month (local time), participants at the Volkswagen GTI Fan Fest held in Wolfsburg, Germany, took part in a car parade crossing the Wolfsburg factory in Golf GTIs.
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.