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Home NEWS

Volkswagen shows all-wheel drive isn’t always faster

The Volkswagen Golf GTI may not offer the all-paw traction of its R sibling, but that doesn’t mean the front-wheel drive hot hatch is slow.

Jordan Mulach by Jordan Mulach
16 June 2025
in NEWS
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To celebrate the Golf GTI’s 50th anniversary in 2026, Volkswagen is set to reveal the Edition 50 this week, with the model commemorating half a century of the iconic hot hatch.

Standing as the flagship of the front-drive Golf range, the GTI Edition 50 has already been taken to the Nürburgring to test just how quick it is – but the results may have even shocked Volkswagen.

Around the 20.8km Nordschleife course, the Golf GTI Edition 50 set a time of seven minutes and 46.13 seconds, more than a second faster than the all-wheel drive Golf R 20 Years, which completed a lap in seven minutes and 47.31 seconds three years ago.

However, the front-drive Golf was truly even faster, as the Golf R’s time didn’t include a 200m stretch at the end of the lap. Without this counted, the GTI Edition 50’s like-for-like time was seven minutes and 41.27 seconds, more than six seconds faster.

The full 20.8km lap was also within two seconds of the fastest front-wheel drive cars at the Nürburgring, the Honda Civic Type R (7:44.881) and the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R (7:45.39).

Volkswagen has so far only confirmed the GTI Edition 50 which set the rapid time was equipped with Bridgestone Potenza semi-slick tyres developed for it (but are available as an option), as well as lightweight forced wheels and a ‘performance chassis’.

No other technical details have been revealed, though it’s expected that the Edition 50 will be heavily based on last year’s Clubsport GTI. That special edition was also fitted with forged wheels, and featured a new drive mode called ‘Special’, made for the Nürburgring.

Volkswagen gave the Clubsport a power boost from 195kW to 221kW, identical to previous versions of the Clubsport, though still far from the peak 245kW outputs of the Golf R.

It’s not yet known whether the Edition 50 will get a further power increase.

Unfortunately the Clubsport GTI wasn’t offered in Australia, and it is likely the same fate will befall the Edition 50, though more information will be revealed later this week.

Jordan Mulach

Jordan Mulach

Motoring Editor
Jordan Mulach is an Australian motoring journalist with a background in motorsport reporting. Now a leading automotive news writer, he combines industry expertise with a passion for cars, sim racing, and all things motoring.

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