The Volkswagen Gol is a subcompact car built by Volkswagen do Brasil from 1980 to 2023 as the brand’s entry-level model in Latin America, where it succeeded the Beetle, known locally as the Fusca, and the Brasília. It came as three- and five-door hatchbacks, the Voyage and Gacel sedans, the Parati estate and the Saveiro pickup, and derivatives of it were sold in North America as the Volkswagen Fox between 1987 and 1993.
Volkswagen Gol at a glance
| Maker | Volkswagen do Brasil |
|---|---|
| Production | 1980–2023 |
| Position | entry-level model in Latin America |
| Predecessors | Volkswagen Beetle (Fusca) and Volkswagen Brasília |
| Bodies | three- and five-door hatchback, Voyage and Gacel sedans, Parati estate, Saveiro pickup |
| First-generation platform | BX, derived from the Volkswagen/Audi B1 and B2 platforms |
| First engine | 1.3-litre air-cooled flat-four from the Beetle, front-mounted |
| Success | best-selling car in Brazil for 27 years, 1987–2014 |
| Total | about five million Gols in South America; ten million with derivatives by March 2013 |
| Name | from the Portuguese and Spanish word for a goal in football |
| End of production | 2023, after 43 years; replaced by the Polo Track |
| Other names | Pointer in Egypt, Ukraine and the CIS; Fox in North America |
History of the Volkswagen Gol
The Gol was released in 1980 to replace the Brasília, which had in turn replaced the Beetle in Brazil. It was built on its own BX platform, derived from the existing Volkswagen/Audi B1 and B2 platforms, and its design was specific to Latin America: the 1.3-litre air-cooled flat-four of the Beetle was carried over but moved to the front, and a 1.6-litre engine followed. The Voyage two-door sedan arrived in June 1981 with a 1.5-litre water-cooled engine and an ethanol option, and was upgraded to 1.6 in May 1982; a water-cooled Voyage 1.8 called the Super was launched in 1984. In 1985 the air-cooled engine gave way to 1.6 and later 1.8-litre water-cooled fours from the Passat, and a 1.6 diesel was made for export only, since diesel passenger cars were not allowed in Brazil.
In January 1983 a four-door Voyage was released; it was known as the Volkswagen Amazon in some export markets and later as the Fox in North America, and from 1983 to 1994 it was built at the Autolatina Pacheco factory in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the Gacel and later also the Senda. The first generation had mild facelifts for 1987 and 1991. The 1989 Gol GTi was the first Brazilian-built car to use fuel injection, with the 2.0-litre engine of the Santana. In 1991 the tax laws changed and a spartan Gol 1000 appeared with a Ford-developed 997 cm³ engine of 50 hp, sold only in that body style; between 1990 and 1995 the Ford CHT 1.6 replaced the original 1.6 as a result of the Autolatina venture. The sporting line began with the Gol GT 1.8 of 1984–1986, an answer to the Ford Escort XR3, followed by the GTS 1.8 of 1987–1994.
The Gol was the best-selling car in Brazil for 27 consecutive years, from 1987 to 2014, and has been the most popular car in Argentina since 1988, with about five million built in South America since 1980. In March 2013 Volkswagen announced that cumulative production of the Gol and its derivatives, the Voyage, Saveiro and Parati, had reached ten million units. The name comes from the Portuguese and Spanish word for a goal in football, chosen to play on Brazilian enthusiasm for the game. After 43 years of continuous production the Gol went out of production in 2023 and was replaced by a downgraded version of the Polo called the Polo Track.
Design and features
- Four body styles: hatchback, Voyage and Gacel sedans, Parati estate and Saveiro pickup.
- Beetle engine at the front: the first Gol used the air-cooled flat-four of the Beetle, moved ahead of the driver.
- Brazilian best-seller: 27 consecutive years at the top of the market, 1987 to 2014.
- Ten million with derivatives: Gol, Voyage, Saveiro and Parati together, by March 2013.
- Sporting line: GT 1.8, GTS 1.8 and the fuel-injected GTi of 1989.
Volkswagen Gol versions
- Gol hatchback (1980): three-door at first, five-door from later generations.
- Voyage (1981): the two- and later four-door sedan, sold as the Gacel and Senda in Argentina.
- Parati (1982): the estate, named after the town of Paraty.
- Saveiro (1982): the pickup, named after a Brazilian fishing boat.
- Gol GT, GTS and GTi: the sporting versions of the first generation.
- Pointer: the name used in Egypt, Ukraine and the CIS.
The Gol replaced the Brasília and the Beetle in Brazil, and its derivatives were sold in North America as the Fox. More cars are in the Volkswagen collection.
Video: Volkswagen Gol Hatchback 2013
Video by TodoautosYMás on YouTube.
Sources
- Volkswagen Gol, English Wikipedia: origins, engines, body styles, market records, end of production
