Volkswagen Group Australia Managing Director Michael Bartsch affirmed that the purchase was the 500,000th since the formation of Volkswagen Group Australia in 2001.
That year, some 11,000 Volkswagens of all types found buyers. Last year's total was more than 60,000.
The 500,000th purchaser is Spencer Leach of Davidson, the suburb neighbouring the Bill Buckle dealership. Mr Leach, 45, heaped praise both on Volkswagen's top performance model and salesman Adam Fraser.
Though a motoring enthusiast and former club rally driver in his native UK, Mr Leach has not previously owned a Volkswagen. He had, however, driven a GTI and that icon's 40th Birthday was much on his mind.
"I decided to come down to Bill Buckle and went for a test drive with Adam," Mr Leach says. "The Golf just lived up to all my expectations.
"There was a discussion that night with my wife, because she will be driving it a lot, but with the 2.8 per cent finance they were offering, the decision was made.
"It was always going to be the R. This car does everything. You can drive sedately then, at the flick of switch, you have the capability of a road going race car."
Mr Leach, a designer, has been engaged with the construction of the new Northern Beaches hospital. He is about to start work on the NSW Government’s Northern Sydney metro line.
"So I obviously appreciate good design and that's another reason I wanted to get into an R,” he says. “There's 40 years of research and development gone into these and it shows. I like the look. I picked white because it accentuates the black and silver detailing and the panoramic roof.
"I've got two boys, aged 12 and 16. We can get the family into it. We can go shopping. It does everything well."
In recognition of being Volkswagen's 500,000th customer, Mr Leach received a complimentary track session at Volkswagen Driving Experience. For his plus one he chose none other than Bill Buckle's salesman, Adam Fraser.
"I had a really good rapport with Adam," Mr Leach says. "He was open, honest and genuine, which I value. I'm really looking forward to our track day."
Mr Bartsch said there was more significance in the sale than its auspicious number.
"Mr Leach is the quintessential Volkswagen customer - a discerning buyer who had an array of choices but was drawn to the superior quality and sophistication inherent to the Golf range," Mr Bartsch says.
“"The experience provided by Bill Buckle exemplifies the Volkswagen ideal. This is what is meant by our credo 'Premium for the People'.”
