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Update 32.2 For Top Drives Is Here! 50 Years of Golf GTI! Celebrate a motoring icon!

  • The 50 Years of GTI Collection will be released from August, Tuesday 4th, until August 25th. Complete challenges and play Events to win 10 VW Golf Iconic Variants, including the Legendary Golf GTI GTC!

  • Play to win the Legendary Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 (2019) in an all-new Parallel Pursuit event!

We're adding 10 brand-new VW variants spanning different generations of the legendary GTI!

Find out more details about each of them below đŸ‘‡đŸ»

Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1 1976

If any company could lay claim to the title of ‘creator of the hot hatchback’, it would be Volkswagen with the Mk1 Golf GTI. Sure, there were hot hatchbacks before the original GTI, and there have been plenty more since, but none has stood the test of time as well as the Golf.

The Mk1 Golf GTI went on sale in 1976, months after it was first shown at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show. It had a 1.6-litre engine producing 105bhp, which combined with a snappy four-speed gearbox, lowered ride height, sporty tyres and 810kg kerb weight to capture the hearts of car fans all over the world. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI GTC 2020

The Volkswagen Golf nameplate has competed in motorsport series and events across the globe for decades, from the British Touring Car Championship to the TCR Series, in the World Rally Championship, and in endurance events like the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. But the Golf GTI GTC is one of the most aggressive and extreme-looking race cars ever to carry the Golf badge, and you’ve probably never heard of it.

Constructed by Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa to compete in the native Global Touring Cars (GTC) series, it looks like a Mk8 Golf GTI with a cool paint job and aggressive aero. But nestled further back in the chassis than normal lies the classic 2.0-litre EA888 GTI engine, but with a massive Garrett GTX3071R Gen II turbocharger, enough for 500bhp. In a first for the Golf, power then goes to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 2016

If you ran a car company that was set to celebrate a 40th birthday, you’d create something special, wouldn’t you? Well, that’s exactly what Volkswagen did in 2016 with the Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40.

At the time, it was the most powerful Golf GTI ever, its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 261bhp. But the Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 had a trick up its sleeve, as if you accelerated hard in third gear or higher for 10 seconds, an overboost function delivered a total of 286bhp. As ever, it was front-wheel drive, but buyers could choose between a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.  

Volkswagen Golf GTI 337 2002

Volkswagen’s fourth-generation Golf GTI doesn’t get a lot of love, with many enthusiasts preferring the fifth-generation or later, or the original Mk1. But a lucky cohort of American buyers was able to get behind the wheel of a very special Mk4 in 2002: the Golf GTI 337.

Marking 25 years of the Golf GTI name, this special GTI 337 arrived in America based on the European Golf GTI 25th Anniversary launched the year prior. Its 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine produced 180bhp, while the bodywork had been tweaked, there were unique 18-inch BBS alloy wheels and Recaro sports seats, plus a number of other special touches only 337 models were blessed with. Volkswagen made 1,500 examples, all of which were exclusive to North America. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 45 2020

As the name suggests, the Golf GTI Clubsport 45 was a special edition variant of the Mk8 Golf GTI, marking the GTI’s 45th anniversary. Based on the already potent GTI Clubsport, there was more to this model than an exclusive name.

Unique to the GTI Clubsport 45 was a black roof and black rear spoiler, plus high-gloss black 19-inch Scottsdale alloy wheels featuring a subtle ‘Tornado Red’ pinstripe. The side sills featured ‘45’ decals, while another 45 badge found its way onto the base of the steering wheel. Best of all, though, was that the car featured a sports exhaust system and its speed limiter was removed, meaning you could go 166mph flat out rather than the ‘regular’ 155mph.   

Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 2006

Volkswagen’s Mk5 Golf GTI holds a special place in many enthusiasts’ hearts, chiefly because it marked a return to form for the GTI, where recent models had somewhat missed the mark. The Golf GTI Edition 30, though? That was the cream of the crop. 

Instead of a big birthday cake with 30 candles, Volkswagen built the Golf GTI Edition 30 to mark the GTI’s 30th anniversary. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine was given a boost, upping peak power from 197bhp to 227bhp and slashing its 0-62mph time by three tenths to 6.6 seconds when mated to a DSG gearbox. Add to that special 18-inch ‘Pescara’ alloy wheels, tinted rear lights, and special ‘Edition 30’ badging on the boot lid and across the interior. This also remains a seriously sought-after GTI with only 1,500 being produced. 

Volkswagen Golf R 333 2023

Where the Golf GTI is for those who want to stay true to the origins of the ‘hot’ Golf, the R models are for those who want their hatchbacks to be as fast and capable as possible. For those who want their Golf to be as visible as possible, however, there’s perhaps no better car than the Golf R 333.

With a name that reflects the Golf R’s power output of 333PS, or 328bhp, the Golf R 333 is a rare creature owing to the fact Volkswagen made - you guessed it - 333 examples. All were finished in the exceedingly bright Lime Yellow Metallic paint, with 333 logos dotted both inside and out. There was even a numbered plaque on the dashboard confirming which one of the 333 examples built you were driving.

Volkswagen Golf R Performance Pack 2018

If you make a car lighter, there’s a good chance it’ll be faster and better to drive, a point proven on the road and in motorsport for 100 years or more. In 2018, Volkswagen decided to take this principle and delicately apply it to its top-of-the-range performance model, creating the Golf R Performance Pack.

Based on the Mk7 Golf R, the R Performance Pack featured a special Akrapovič exhaust that saved 7kg over the standard system. Volkswagen also fitted an ‘R-Performance’ brake set-up, saving another 2kg, before removing the 155mph top speed limiter, allowing the hatchback model to hit 166mph and the long-roof estate 168mph. Sure, Volkswagen could have made the car lighter, but the higher top speed capability, beefier brakes, and special exhaust are all worthwhile upgrades. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI 20 Jahre 1996

Anniversary model Golf GTIs are nothing new nowadays, but back in 1996, Volkswagen had never looked back at the legacy left by the original Golf GTI and thought it worth celebrating. Imagine the surprise, then, when the company revealed the Golf GTI 20 Jahre.

Based on the Mk3 Golf GTI, the 20 Jahre featured 16-inch RS2 BBS alloy wheels with sticky 215/40 tyres, funky chequered seat covers, a golf ball-style gear lever top, and some other little nods to the original GTI. It had the same 148bhp engine as the regular GTI and would manage the same 0-62mph sprint of 8.3 seconds, but where 327,000 Mk3 GTIs were made in total, only 1,000 of them were 20 Jahre models. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 2026

When a nameplate has been around for 50 years, you have to do something special, right? That’s exactly what Volkswagen did with the Golf GTI Edition 50, five decades after the very first Golf GTI rolled off the production line. 

With 321bhp from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine - almost three times the power of the original GTI - the Golf GTI Edition 50 is the most powerful series production car in the GTI’s 50-year history, and one of the best to drive. It’s available with a number of options, including lighter wheels, a shoutier exhaust, and special colour schemes and badging. Every GTI Edition 50 will sprint from 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds and go on to a top speed of 168mph, putting it close to the all-wheel drive Golf R for outright pace.

⚔ The New Rivals Battle Is Coming Soon!

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