Some facts about vehicles are indisputable. Take Porsche as an example. They will never make the Cayman faster than the 911. Another difference is that the GTI is the base model, and the Golf R is the top-of-the-line hot hatchback from Volkswagen. The GTI Edition 50, a recently released special edition by VW, is faster than the all-wheel-drive Golf R and the fastest hatchback around the Nürburgring. This suggests that VW may have chosen to break with tradition for the GTI’s 50th anniversary. The GTI Edition 50 is superior to the GTI Clubsport, but it is not available in the US. The Clubsport has 295 horsepower, while our base GTI only has 241. Edition 50, VW added 30 horsepower, bringing the total to 320 horsepower, which is about the same as the Golf R. That’s only eight horsepower less than the R, but keep in mind that the Edition 50 will likely weigh less since it has front-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive. The standard GTI weighs more than 300 pounds less than the R, which is a big change, but the manufacturer couldn’t give exact numbers. That’s a great start, then. Naturally, VW hasn’t stopped there to mark this important event for the GTI. As an additional option, you can select the performance package, which features a tuned suspension with adaptable mounts, higher spring rates, and a 5-mm lower ride height compared to the base GTI. The Bridgestone Potenza Race tires, which are slippery, also help. They make all the difference. The forged wheels they’re wrapped around are about 6.6 pounds lighter per corner, and the rubber is much stickier and even a bit lighter than regular gear. Volkswagen says it’s the fastest production car it’s ever driven around the Nordschleife, so it’s more than just a fast GTI. This month, racer and Volkswagen development driver Benjamin Leuchter set a lap time of 7:46:13 in the GTI Edition 50. In 2022, Leuchter’s time of 7:47.31 for a Golf R’round the Ring was based on a different, shorter standard for what was called a full circuit of the course. Taking all of this into account, the new GTI beat the Golf R not by one second but by six seconds. If speed is the only thing that matters, the GTI Edition 50 (when properly equipped) beats the Golf R of all of these. Most of the time, I don’t believe paid recommendations, but Leuchter calling it “the most precise and sporty Volkswagen [he’s] ever driven” says a lot to me. Volkswagen still wants to sell the Golf R, after all. Besides success, there are other benefits. On the Edition 50’s top seatback, “GTI” is cut out in a series of small pin-pricks. The seatback has a new look with plaid bolsters and a zoomed-in pattern on the main fabric insert. Many people love how GTI thrones always look with their retro plaid. Also, the straps are red. I feel great about everything. Since VW offers Dark Moss Green Metallic as a color option for this special version, you may notice a hint of green in the seats. We’re happy that the fast car is green, even though we don’t have any pictures of it yet. VW won’t say how many of these super GTIs it will make or how much they will cost. More bad news: Volkswagen of America told us that the Edition 50 will not be sold in our country “as it stands.” That’s unfortunate, but not surprising, given that we’re already missing out on the Clubsport.
