This is the limited-edition VW Golf GTI 40th Anniversary

USA

Volkswagen celebrates four decades of the Golf GTI in the USA, at least two of which have been good

First thing’s first, maths fans: we know the Golf GTI is already a decent way past its 40th birthday. As does Volkswagen of America, we should point out.

Hence why this is the GTI 40th Anniversary Edition, celebrating four decades since the GTI first made it to the US of A… as a Rabbit. It’s a specific silliness that’s persisted on and off since then, but as we’re now in a period where everyone’s happy to call a Golf a Golf, we can let bygones be gone.

As you might expect, then, you’re looking at a US-only model, which will run to about $33,000 in the land of the free refill and home of the Atlanta Braves; about the equivalent of £29,000. Which is something of a bargain, considering a regular GTI costs the best part of £37,000 over here.

For that comparatively value-packed sum, 1,500 or so American buyers get useful inclusions like adaptive dampers, speed-sensitive steering and the 19-inch wheels from the GTI Clubsport 45 – the latter wrapped in ‘summer performance tyres’. Well, ‘tires’, but we know what they’re trying to say.

Additions that we’d consider… less useful would be the ‘40’ decals on the door sills, an illuminated grille (starts humming the song from NFS Underground) and a black-painted roof. Just the thing for California’s fearsome sun, no?

Aside from the distinctly Henry Ford-ish roof colour, the 40th Anniversary GTIs offer two unique colours: the Tornado Red you see above, as well as ‘Urano Grey’, which sounds… interplanetary. That’s rounded out by an opalescent white and metallic yellow, shared with the regular GTI.

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As is the EA888 2.0-litre engine, which gets the same 240-odd horsepower and 270lb ft you’ll find across the regular GTI range. But that’s actually less disappointing than it might seem: the 300bhp Clubsport 45 only ever came with a DSG, after all.

Would we have loved to see a bit more from a 40th Anniversary GTI? Absolutely. A proper mechanical limited-slip diff – as opposed to the brake-activated halfway house – would be a good start. Then offering all 1,500 with a manual gearbox, as opposed to the 50-50 split with DSG that it’s apparently going to be.

Then find a way to strip weight where it counts the most – aluminium control arms and uprights, as well as forged brake calipers and wheels. Finally, garnish with a little rabbit badge on the tailgate, as a hat-tip to the GTI’s unique history in the States.

Such ideas, unfortunately, will have to wait: the 40th Anniversary GTI is already here, and given it began 46 years ago the next big milestone is a little while off yet. So, VW, if you’d like any pointers on what to include in the GTI 50, you know who to call first.

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