It’s hard to believe that the Volkswagen Jetta GLI has existed for 40 years. It started as a Golf GTI with two more doors and a decklid. Wolfsburg is now bringing the one-of-a-kind Jetta GLI 40th Anniversary Edition to the United States. The performance of the 2024 Jetta GLI 40th Anniversary Edition is the same as that of a normal GLI. It has the same 2.0-liter turbocharged EA888 I-4 engine and essential equipment as a regular GLI. Given that only 1,984 were made (a nod to the first year of the GLI), it would have been great to have more power or better handling by taking ideas from the 2022 SEMA show GLI. The 40th Anniversary Edition is mostly about small changes to how it looks. There are some unique paint jobs with blacked-out hardware to go with the red accents and 18-inch black wheels in Pure Gray, Pure White, or Rising Blue. Inside the GLI 40th are “one-of-a-kind” embossed molecular cloth seats, at least according to VW. The word “1984” and the GLI mark will also be carved into the cupholders. Seat tags, front door sills that say “GLI 40,” and a “40” at 6 o’clock on the steering wheel are some of the other 40th anniversary interior details. Also, there will be no sunroof, heated leather steering wheel, or Beats music because the Autobahn option is not included. The good news is that the 40th Anniversary Edition 2024 VW Jetta GLI won’t cost you an arm and a leg. The DSG version will cost $30,035 when it goes on sale later this summer, while the regular version will cost $29,235. The 2023 GLI, available only in a fully equipped Autobahn trim, is much more expensive.
