Welcome to the latest special edition Golf GTI, this time in honor of the model’s 45th anniversary. Set to go on sale in the UK in April for less than £40,000 (under P2.72 million), it’s mechanically identical to the regular Clubsport—which, as we know, is the GTI you really want.
That means you’re looking at 296hp from the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, front-wheel drive, a twin-clutch auto ’box, and uprated underpinnings versus the standard GTI.
Besides its red-rimmed 19-inch gloss black alloys, black roof and spoiler, and ‘45’ logos, the Clubsport 45 gets something called the ‘Race Package.’ This gives you a fruity Akrapovic exhaust and, interestingly, deletes the 250kph limiter for a higher, so far undisclosed top speed.
Inside, you get GTI lettering on the front seats, plus another ‘45’ logo on the steering wheel.
Volkswagen has been doing commemorative editions of the Golf GTI since its 20th anniversary way back in 1996. Our favorite so far is the Clubsport Edition 40, based on the Mk7 Golf GTI and released in 2016. Do you think this one will change our mind?
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
