F1 Star Carlos Sainz Reveals He Still Drives 12-Year-Old Hatchback Over Million-Dollar Supercars

Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz’s Volkswagen was first gifted by his parents.
The modest $13,500 USD Volkswagen Golf GTI sat idle in the garage for six years.
Spanish racer’s loyalty to humble Golf led to social media frenzy amid F1’s supercar culture.

Being part of a sport that is built on speed, precision, and a whole lot of excess, Carlos Sainz’s favourite car is… a Golf. Not a Ferrari. Not a McLaren. A 2012 MK6 Volkswagen Golf GTI. And he couldn’t be prouder of it.

While most Formula 1 drivers are surrounded by the best of the best — sleek Italian exotics, V12-powered beasts, and the kind of custom machinery that makes supercar collectors weep, Sainz remains loyal to a modest hatchback that is valued at $13,500 USD and that he has owned 12 years because it was an 18th birthday gift from his parents.

Sainz recently even took the Golf for a spin after it had been sitting idle in his garage for six years, showing that the car is clearly more than just a means of transportation — it’s a cherished piece of his personal history.

Carlos Sainz Golf Volkswagen — The 2012 Golf GTI delivers 200 horsepower with a turbocharged engine and a sporty manual gearbox. Image: Cars

The Golf became a bit of a meme back in 2016 during an F1 press conference. As other drivers listed off their impressive car collections, with names like Ferrari, Porsche, and Merecedes being casually dropped, Sainz chimed in with a simple, “I have a Golf.”

Cue the internet. The clip went viral and, for many F1 fans, he became a favorite. Here was a top-tier driver who could have anything, but still rolled with something many of us can relate to. Even though Sainz has added a few enviable machines to his garage over the years — a Ferrari Roma, a Mercedes AMG GT, a McLaren 600LT Spider — his affection for the Golf has never faded due to it being a gift from his parents.

“I’ve been in Formula 1 for eight or nine years, and as my own car, I have the one my parents gave me when I was 18 — a Golf,” Sainz has proudly shared. His statement is a reminder that not every meaningful possession needs to have a six-figure price tag, especially in the world of motorsport, where luxury and excess are the norm.

Carlos Sainz still treasures the Volkswagen Golf GTI gifted by his parents at 18. Image: Getty

And technically speaking, the 2012 GTI is no slouch either. It comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four that kicks out 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. With a manual gearbox, it’s good for 0–60 mph in just over six seconds, and it manages respectable fuel economy at 21 MPG in the city and 31 on the highway. But for Sainz, the Golf’s specs probably don’t matter much, considering the sentiment he holds behind it.

Of course, Sainz isn’t the only one who’s held the GTI close to heart. It has long been one of Europe’s favourite cars — not just among enthusiasts but even royalty. Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales, drove one before her royal days. And it’s easy to see why. It’s fun to drive, reasonably practical, and walks the fine line between sporty and sensible like few others can. In some ways, that makes it the perfect reflection of Sainz himself—fast when it counts, measured when it matters.

So, while the rest of the F1 grid might be trading keys to million-dollar supercars, Carlos Sainz is still pulling his Golf out of the garage, proving that sometimes the best cars aren’t the most expensive — they’re the ones with a story.