Volkswagen Golf Mk1
Volkswagen became one of the car industry’s giants after World War II. However, their primary challenge was transforming from a single-model manufacturer into the modern company it is today. The company produced many of its variants since its main product was the popular Volkswagen Beetle. They included the T1 and T2 vans, the Karmann Ghia coupe, and the 1600 TL sedan or wagon. Despite the different appearances, all those cars were the humble VW Beetle underneath their bodies (via Auto Evolution).
By the end of the 1960s, Volkswagen realized it would soon be in financial jeopardy. This was because they knew the market would eventually stop buying the Beetle in all its variants. They feared the Volkswagen company would have nothing to offer. So, in the early 1970s when sales started dropping, Volkswagen invested in a new line of models led by the Golf Mk1. This was a completely new concept for them. It featured a new front-wheel-drive platform and a straight-four engine. The new Golf had nothing in common with the old Beetle. In fact, Volkswagen gambled everything they had. Fortunately, the risk paid off, and Volkswagen is now one of the biggest car companies in the world.