Richard Copping has been a follower of the Volkswagen marque since acquiring his first car, a Beetle, in 1977. Although still an ardent fan of VW s air-cooled heritage, in recent years he has succumbed like so many to the charms of Europe s best selling hatch, adding the Golf to the portfolio of vehicles he writes about. His student days spent learning the craft of the historian, has ensured a lively, authoritative style to his work and genuine empathy with the spirit of the age he is writing about.