Introducing the new king of FWD hatchbacks
A few days after confirming that it’s the quickest production Volkswagen around the Nurburgring, the brand has officially taken the covers off the Golf GTI Edition 50. It arrives at the perfect time for the iconic Golf nameplate, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.
With this reveal, we have more insight into how VW managed to get a front-wheel-drive GTI around the famous Green Hell more quickly than the all-wheel-drive Golf R, which is quite an achievement. Thanks to a Performance Package and even more power than we were expecting, this hottest Golf GTI achieved a Nurburgring lap time of seven minutes and 46.13 seconds.
Nearly As Powerful As Golf R
The final specs are in, and this is clearly no ordinary GTI. Whereas the standard GTI produces 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque (making it slightly less powerful than the European GTI), the GTI Edition 50 gets achingly close to the Golf R with outputs of 321 hp and 310 lb-ft. That’s only 7 hp less than the R, and torque is exactly the same. This GTI is also more powerful than the Civic Type R (315 hp), often considered the king of FWD hot hatchbacks.
Riding on a special Performance chassis, VW used half a century of experience in developing the GTI to perfect this model. The Golf VIII GTI Clubsport was used as a starting point, before the team added semi-slick tires and more precise steering. The front differential lock was also tuned for this application.
Volkswagen
Go for the GTI Performance package, and the car gets higher spring rates, a further lowering of the ride height, special suspension mounts, lighter forged wheels, a weight-saving Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, and 235 Potenza Race semi-slick tires from Bridgestone. The cumulative effect of these changes left racing driver Benjamin Leuchter deeply impressed.
“For me, the Golf GTI EDITION 50 is the most precise and sporty Volkswagen I’ve ever driven,” says Leuchter. “It reminds me a lot of the Golf GTI Clubsport S from 2016. However, the Golf GTI EDITION 50 has been systematically enhanced once again. Because it’s so intuitive and precise, I have a lot of confidence in the car and can really push it to the limit.”
Related: VW Ready To Make The Golf R Look Slow With Hardcore ID.2 R
Sporty Looks Match Record Pace
Outside, the GTI Edition 50 gets a choice of five exterior colors: Pure White, Moonstone Grey, Grenadilla Black, Tornado Red, and Dark Moss Green. The red is especially closely tied to various VW performance cars from the past, including the Golf VR6 Mk3. GTI 50 logos, a black roof and mirrors, and a distinctive side stripe combine to visually differentiate this special Golf.
Inside, the nostalgic check pattern has been applied to the supportive seats, which has red detailing. The GTI 50 logo can be found on the steering wheel, which also houses paddles for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
“The Golf GTI EDITION 50 is our fastest and most powerful GTI to date. With the optional Performance package, we have taken the GTI concept to a whole new level,” explains Sebastian Willmann, Head of the Chassis Development and Driving Dynamics Department at VW.
There’s no word yet on pricing or availability, but we expect a figure far above the $32,445 starting price of the normal GTI.
Related: Honda Is Laughing At The Quickest VW Golf GTI To Lap The Nürburgring
