GTI Edition 50 Unleashed

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The New Hot Hatch King

Finally, Volkswagen pulls back the curtain on the Golf GTI Edition 50. A nod to its five-decade-long legacy, this GTI is making waves with its rapid track times, outperforming even some of its family siblings. With a Nurburgring lap time of seven minutes and 46.13 seconds, it snatches the crown as the fastest front-wheel-drive VW to date. A feat that includes overtaking the all-wheel-drive Golf R is no small matter. Timing couldn’t be better, with the Golf turning the big 5-0 next year.

Packing Heat

The Edition 50 doesn’t hold back with its specs. We’re looking at a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine punching out 321 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It’s almost toe-to-toe with the Golf R, missing just 7 horsepower, and it’s putting cracked rearview mirrors on some heavy hitters like the Honda Civic Type R. It’s clear this isn’t just any ol’ GTI, but a revamp on the established Golf VIII GTI Clubsport with semi-slick tires, tuned steering, and an enhanced front differential lock glued on for good measure.

The GTI Performance Package elevates this model further with features like higher spring rates, an Akrapovic titanium exhaust, and Bridgestone’s Potenza Race tires. These updates delivered a machine so precise that pro-racer Benjamin Leuchter gave it the nod as one of the sportiest VWs he’s tried. It rings similar to the 2016 Golf GTI Clubsport S, but tuned and honed even finer.

Visuals that Impress

The GTI Edition 50 certainly looks the part. With five bold exterior hues including a flash of Tornado Red and the classic Pure White, it’s ready to turn heads. A sophisticated black roof and mirrors, paired with distinctive striping and unique GTI 50 emblems, round off this stand-out design. Inside, nostalgia meets speed with plaid seat patterns and accents of red, marking the interior, and a logo-branded steering wheel comes complete with paddle shifters for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Volkswagen’s Sebastian Willmann proudly describes it as the fastest and most powerful GTI yet, with the Performance Package taking the concept to new heights. Price details remain under wraps, but expect it to exceed the regular GTI’s $32,445 starting point.

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