Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 debuts as the fastest VW on the ring


Next year, i.e., 2026, the Golf GTI will celebrate 50 years! Can you believe it? The hot-hatch has been in existence for nearly 50 years. The original Golf GTI had 110 horses, which was quite impressive back in the ’70s. As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, Volkswagen is offering the Golf GTI Edition 50, billed as the fastest Volkswagen production model on the Nordschleife. Pro driver Benjamin Leuchter lapped the ‘ring in 07:46:13 minutes.

What’s the bill amount, you ask? Well, VW didn’t share that yet, but the company shared that the production is scheduled to start in Wolfsburg at the end of 2025, with deliveries commencing in the first quarter of 2026. You might wanna get in touch with your nearest dealer. But anyway, what’s so special about the Edition 50? Well, the standard setup includes a newly tuned DCC sports chassis, a finely adjusted front differential lock, and more precise progressive steering. The anniversary model rides 15 mm lower than the standard setup.

The 2.0L 4-cylinder TSI in this application pumps out 239 kW (325 metric hp) and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft). Which means, the Edition 50 is not only more powerful than the GTI Clubsport, but also gets 5 more horses than the Golf R. However, the Golf R 333 still remains at the top when it comes to the number of horses.

But wait, there’s more. If you’re willing to spend more, Volkswagen will sell you the optional GTI-Performance package, which comes with package-exclusive chassis tuning. The car rides 5 mm lower, making the special edition 20 mm lower than the standard Golf. Due to higher spring rates, the natural frequency at the front and rear axles has been increased by around 20%, resulting in a much more direct response and a lower tendency to roll and pitch, the company said. The suspension mounts have also been adapted for the package.

The package also comes with Bridgestone 235 Potenza Race semi-slick tyres wrapped to 19-inch Warmenau forged wheels, and Akrapovič titanium exhaust system. The new tyres are claimed to offer more grip with less rolling resistance and are around 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) lighter per tyre than the standard tyres. With a weight of only 8 kg (17.6 lbs) per rim, the forged wheels are around 3 kg (6.6 lbs) lighter than the standard 19-inch wheel rim, the company added. The aforementioned exhaust system saves a further 11 kg (24 lbs).

We have incorporated our experience from fifty years of GTI development into the optional Performance chassis. To do this, we have built on the chassis technology of the legendary Golf VII GTI Clubsport and, in combination with the new semi-slick tyres, have managed to further increase the grip level at the front axle whilst still achieving very neutral and agile handling. We are therefore not only offering our customers the most high-performance GTI ever but have also significantly improved precision when steering into bends, and made the driver’s experience even more enjoyable. – Sebastian Willmann, Head of the Chassis Development and Driving Dynamics Department











Source link

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top
Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

Get notified about new articles