Volkswagen Golf Country 66

Of course, two things are mixed up here, because this Golf was never intended as an SUV. It is a first reference to the trend to also make a heightened version of regular models, a trend that had its heyday especially before the rise of the (compact) SUV.

While at the beginning of the 21st century there were often half-baked attempts, Volkswagen went with the Golf Country 'all the way'. The car, always a five-door Golf II, stood no less than 18 centimeters higher on the legs than a regular Golf. The engine remained in place and is therefore housed deep in the forecastle, which is a remarkable sight when the hood is open. However, even with the hood closed, the term 'remarkable' is appropriate here. The Golf looks like the project of a diligent hobbyist and has been 'boosted' in every conceivable way. A bull bar? Check! Extra lamps? Certainly! “Skid plates”? Of course! Mudflaps? Naturally!

In our opinion, the visual highlight is the spare wheel on the tailgate. At least, on: it sits on a bracket for the flap, which must first swivel separately to the side before the flap can be opened. The most questionable kudos in this case go to the piece of plastic that fills the space for the license plate. That plate is forced to move to a place under the bumper, but the changes required for this cannot be called very professional. However, the result is fantastic, because this four-wheel drive Golf actually looks rugged.