One-off model celebrates half a century of Volkswagen GTI cars
Most powerful production Golf GTI to date boasts exclusive paintwork and design touches
Special-edition model has already set a Nürburgring track record
Available to order priced £47,995 (OTR RRP inc VAT)
Milton Keynes – The Volkswagen Golf GTI EDITION 50 – a special anniversary model to celebrate 50 years of the German brand’s iconic GTI cars – goes on sale in the UK on Thursday 15 January.
With head-turning good looks and pulse-quickening performance, this new Volkswagen is a one-off, special-edition Golf GTI. Production is scheduled during 2026 only to coincide with the 50th anniversary year of GTI.
The Golf GTI EDITION 50 is priced at £47,995 (on-the-road recommended retail price including VAT) and demand is expected to be extremely high when order books open at UK Retailers on 15 January.
Built for performance… and to turn headsThe Volkswagen Golf GTI EDITION 50 is the fastest and most powerful production Golf GTI built to date. Its 2.0 TSI engine, paired with a seven-speed automatic direct-shift gearbox (DSG), is tuned to produce 325 PS and 420 Nm of torque – enough to accelerate to 62 mph in just 5.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 168 mph, where permitted.
Uprated suspension and chassis components make sure the additional power and speed translate into superior and dynamic handling, while Volkswagen’s adaptive chassis control system – a standard feature on the GTI EDITION 50 – retains comfort for everyday useability. The car sits 15 mm lower than the standard Golf GTI and its overall weight of 1,930 kg is on a par with the current Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport.
An optional Performance Package reduces weight and enhances driving dynamics further still, with semi-slick tyres, forged Warmenau 19-inch black alloy wheels, twin Akrapovič exhaust system and lowered suspension.
Special drive modes and settings are also on offer in addition to the eco, comfort, sport and individual profiles already familiar to many Volkswagen drivers. The GTI EDITION 50 gains a Nürburgring mode that is designed for track driving – and in particular the infamous Nordschleife circuit. There is also an S+ mode for the gearbox, for optimum downshifts going into track corners, and a manual M+ mode that limits automatic gear upshifting even at high revs.
But the GTI EDITION 50 isn’t just about high performance; it’s also a car that demands attention and admiration. Additional highlights include:
Pure white paintwork with black roof and mirror housings
New optional Dark Moss green metallic paint – exclusive to GTI EDITION 50
Other optional colours include classic Tornado red
Red-glazed 19-inch Queenstown alloy wheels
GTI 50 badges on the roof spoiler, exterior mirrors, steering wheel and door sills
Exclusive seat trim with decorative inserts
Red pedals and seatbelts
Built to break recordsThe Golf GTI EDITION 50 has already written itself into the history books of the Nürburgring and the Volkswagen brand. Racing driver Benny Leuchter completed a lap of the Nordschleife in June 2025 with a near-production version of the car in just seven minutes 46.13 seconds – the fastest time so far round the ‘Green Hell’ track for any road-approved Volkswagen.
“The Golf GTI EDITION 50 is a statement with which Volkswagen expresses the pure GTI idea – the combination of superior drive power and highly precise chassis with front-wheel drive – more effectively than ever before,” said Benny Leuchter after his record-breaking drive.
The car was equipped with the optional Performance Package, which Benny Leuchter described as the “decisive factor” in his record attempt, which was all the more remarkable given the wet track conditions and bad weather that meant he was limited to just a single lap of the Nordschleife.
See highlights here from Benny Leuchter’s single record-breaking lap at the Nürburgring.
See the Volkswagen.co.uk website for more about the Golf GTI EDITION 50.
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Automobile Magazine-UK
