In the interior of the first Volkswagen Golf GTI, there is a detail that seems like a joke, but it became an emblem: a gear lever in the shape of a golf ball. It appeared in the Golf GTI Mk1, presented in 1975. The explanation is mainly related to the name Golf and although the name of the car is usually associated with the Gulfstream, the connection with the sport was too obvious to ignore.
Volkswagen points to Gunhild Liljequist as the person who suggested the idea. She worked on the colors, materials and interior details of the brand. In her memoirs, she describes the decision as spontaneous: “It was a completely spontaneous idea! I simply expressed my sporting associations and my connection to golf out loud: “How about a golf ball as a gear lever?“
The story of the model, published by Volkswagen, connects the realization and the chief designer Herbert Schäfer, who is an avid golfer. Thus, there is no significant contradiction between the two stories: Liljequist suggested the unusual detail, and Schäfer made it part of the GTI design. The golf ball fits the concept of the first GTI. The model was created as a sportier version of the practical family Golf, but without unnecessary ostentation. Therefore, the interior receives several clearly recognizable accents: a red line around the radiator grille, checkered upholstery and a gear lever that immediately stands out from the standard one.
The shape also has a practical side. The rounded shape lies comfortably in the palm of your hand, and the relief creates a specific feeling with each gear change. There is no evidence that the grooves themselves make shifting faster or more precise. Their importance lies primarily in the combination of comfort, recognition and character.
The success of the Golf GTI exceeded initial expectations. Volkswagen planned to produce 5,000 cars of the first generation, but in the end 461,690 Golf GTI Mk1 units were produced. Together with the red line and the checkered seats, the golf ball remained part of the visual language of the model. In the following decades, the Golf GTI received more powerful engines, improved suspension, new safety systems and digital technologies. However, the small gear lever retains the connection with the original idea of a car that puts the driver in direct contact with the mechanics.
The traditional ball is not necessarily present in every generation and every transmission. With the advent of automatic gearboxes and later electric drives, its functional importance decreased. For owners and fans of older GTI models, it remains not just a ball, but a sign of the origin of one of the most popular sports compact cars.