Volkswagen has unveiled the Golf GTI EDITION 50, the most powerful production GTI to date, as the brand prepares to celebrate 50 years of the iconic performance model in 2026.
The anniversary model produces 239 kW (325 PS) and is already available to order in selected European markets, with first deliveries scheduled for 2026.
It marks a centrepiece of Volkswagen’s plans to celebrate the GTI badge, which the brand said has become synonymous with accessible performance motoring since the launch of the original Golf GTI in 1976.
More than 2.5 million Golf GTI models have been produced over the past five decades.
When the original model launched, Volkswagen planned a production run of just 5,000 units, but more than 10-times that number sold in the first year alone.
In total, 461,690 first-generation Golf GTI models were built.
Volkswagen said the enduring appeal of the GTI lies in its combination of everyday usability and dynamic performance, pairing a lightweight front-wheel-drive layout with a balanced chassis, distinctive styling and strong value for money.
Alongside the EDITION 50, Volkswagen confirmed that 2026 will also see the GTI concept move fully into the electric era with the debut of the all-electric ID. Polo GTI.
Producing 166 kW (226 PS), the model will be the first electric vehicle to carry the GTI badge, extending the performance sub-brand beyond combustion powertrains for the first time.
The 50th anniversary will also be marked with a series of international classic car events throughout 2026.
The Golf GTI will feature at Rétromobile in Paris from 28th January to 1st February 2026, followed by the Bremen Classic Motorshow from 30th January to 2nd February 2026, with both events opening the European classic car season and setting the tone for a year of GTI celebrations.
Volkswagen said the Golf GTI EDITION 50 and the forthcoming ID. Polo GTI demonstrate how the brand intends to honour the heritage of the GTI while adapting it for a future shaped increasingly by electrification.
