Golf GTI Edition 30 Heads for Production

A few months ago, Volkswagen unveiled a design study called the Golf GTI Edition 30, which commemorated 30 years of the Golf GTI. Fast forward to today and Volkswagen has now announced that the Golf GTI Edition 30 will head for production and will have a limited run of 1,500 vehicles for the UK market.

Aesthetically, the Golf GTI Edition 30 is exactly the design study of a few months back except for one notable change in the wheels. The black wheels of the design study are now replaced with 18" Pescara alloys. Painted side skirts, a chin spoiler, painted rear bumper, and tinted lights join the short list of features that sets this special edition GTI apart to any run-of-the-mill GTI.

Inside, sports seats wrapped in plaid "Interlagos" cloth commands your attention but look harder and you notice the smaller details like the golf ball gear knob (that hearkens back to the MK. I GTI), Edition 30 badging, and red stitching on the steering wheel. All these details make it known that this is no ordinary Golf GTI.

The icing on the cake for the Golf GTI Edition 30, however, is an uprated 2.0T FSI engine that produces 230 hp—that's 1 horsepower for every year. The upgrade in power is very apparent. The Golf GTI Edition 30's 0-60 times are 6.8 seconds for the six speed manual or 6.6 seconds for the DSG.

As mentioned, the Edition 30 is limited to a 1,500 unit run and are available in both 3- and 5-door configuration. A 3-door model starts at £22,000. Add £500 for 5-door and 1,330 for DSG. Availability in North America is unknown.

Jump for the press release and photos.

Source: Volkswagen UK
The fastest and most powerful production Golf GTI yet is set to kick off celebrations as 2007 marks the 30th anniversary of the original hot hatch – the Mk1 Golf GTI. Despite three decades having passed since the defining GTI was conceived, the spirit of the original is still very much alive in the new Golf GTI Edition 30.

At its heart is an uprated version of the 2.0-litre, ultra-responsive four-cylinder T-FSI engine fitted to the standard GTI. The result is 230 PS – a rise of 30 PS over the standard car. This is mated to a choice of six-speed manual or sequential DSG gearboxes channelling drive through the front wheels.

The new Golf GTI Edition 30 will sprint to 62 mph in only 6.8 seconds (6.6 secs when equipped with DSG) before reaching a maximum of 150 mph.

Joining the dynamic tweaks is a fresh new look for the GTI Edition 30. New body-coloured side skirts are paired with a new chin spoiler for the front bumper and a body-coloured rear bumper. A subtle ‘GTI’ badge sits on the bootlid below tinted rear lights. Completing the look are a set of unique 18-inch ‘Pescara’ alloy wheels.

Inside, the GTI Edition 30 benefits from unique sports seats finished in ‘Interlagos’ cloth trim and completed with leather side bolsters and headrest. The distinctive golf ball gear knob synonymous with the Mk1 GTI also makes a welcome comeback. Elsewhere silver sill plates featuring a unique ‘Edition 30’ logo are joined by the sculpted leather GTI steering wheel complete with red stitching.

Equipment levels for the Edition 30, as on the standard GTI, are high, with ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), six airbags, radio/CD player, 2Zone electronic climate control and twin chrome exhaust tailpipes all featured.

Just 1,500 examples of the GTI Edition 30 will be available from early January with a range of six paint colours ranging from Candy White to the searing Tornado Red. Prices for the anniversary model start at just over £22,000 for the three-door model, with a £1,330 premium for the DSG-equipped car. The GTI Edition 30 is also available with five doors for an additional £500.

The right hand drive Mk1 Golf GTI – developing a modest 112 bhp – went on sale in the UK in 1977. At the time Leo Sayer was at number one, Star Wars gripped a generation of kids, Concorde was about to take flight for the first time and Volkswagen’s new GTI cost £5,217. The Golf GTI, with its mix of a low kerb weight and a fast-revving four-cylinder engine, sharpened suspension and subtly aggressive looks, became an instant hit. By the time the Mk1 GTI was phased out in 1984 over 19,500 examples had been sold in the UK.