20/06/2025
You’re looking at the fastest production Golf GTI there’s ever been. Volkswagen’s GTI nameplate will turn 50 next year, but Wolfsburg has started the celebrations early by unveiling the Golf GTI EDITION 50 on the eve of the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
With 321bhp and 310lb ft, it’s the most powerful Golf GTI the factory has yet produced. It’s also the fastest car the marque has ever built around the Nordschleife. Works racing drivers Benny Leuchter clocked a time of 7min 46.13sec, quick enough to mix it with dedicated sports cars and even previous-generation supercars, but only a second faster than he managed in the epic Golf GTI Clubsport S almost a decade ago.
‘For me, the Golf GTI EDITION 50 is the most precise and sporty Volkswagen I’ve ever driven,’ said 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.’
Apart from the hike in power, the EDITION 50 sits 15mm closer to the road than a standard Golf GTI on retuned DCC dampers and features a revised differential and tweaked steering. The only transmission option is VW’s DSG dual-clutch, unlike the Clubsport S which was manual only.
If you want to give it the full Leuchter next time you visit the ’Ring, you’ll want the optional GTI-Performance package. It adds forged wheels, Bridgestone track day tyres, an Akrapovic exhaust, firmer springs rates and a further 5mm drop in ride height. And, of course, the all-important bragging rights.
Final words (and they should be reassuring to people like us) go to VW CEO Thomas Schäfer: ‘For 50 years, the GTI has stood for more than just performance, precision and driving pleasure at Volkswagen: it is a way of life that unites our fans all over the world – and an essential element of what makes us so strong as a brand. With the fastest and most powerful production model to date, we are celebrating half a century of GTI passion. One thing is for sure: GTI will naturally live on in the future – without any compromises.’
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