Anton Konrad is dead: Volkswagen says goodbye to one of the fathers of the Golf GTI – News – VAU-MAX

Volkswagen is saying goodbye to one of the Golf GTI’s fathers: Anton Konrad, VW’s former head of communications, has died.

In 1974, half of the men, together with Volkswagen’s head of press Anton Konrad, organized a secret plan at Volkswagen to create a “sports Golf”. There is no development order yet, but technical director Hermann Hablitzel is keeping his protective hand over the project. The first prototypes are being created. Among other things, with a 100 hp carburetor engine. At the beginning of March 1975, Hablitzel officially presented the “Sport Golf” project to CEO Toni Schmücker. He gives his “go”. And so the high-end “Sport Golf” secretly becomes an official development order: EA195. Now is also the time. And that’s a big prospect: The world premiere is scheduled for September at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. The project is gaining momentum. The EA195 takes a step further when the right engine is on board: an injection engine with 110 hp. But the name Super Golf is still not available. TS and GTS are discussed. Then the decision falls to GTI. Meanwhile, head of design Herbert Schäfer – an avid golfer – reinvented the gear knob by simply rolling a golf ball around the GTI’s gear stick.