A 35th birthday can mark the onset of a mini midlife crisis, the tipping point between the big 3-0 and even bigger 4-0. Luckily the iconic Golf GTI is in no such predicament, but rather celebrating in style with a special edition model which has an uplift in spec and appearance and, underneath the skin, the most powerful production Golf GTI engine to date. Clearly those gym sessions have paid off.
On sale from today, the Golf GTI Edition 35 – which made its debut at the GTI enthusiasts’ meeting on the shores of Lake Wörthersee in Austria at the start of June – has a 1,984 cc four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged engine which produces 235 PS (25 more than the standard GTI) at 5,500 rpm and 300 Nm (221 lbs ft) of torque at 2,200 rpm. Like the standard GTI, the Edition 35 is front engined and front-wheel drive. Standstill to 62 mph takes 6.6 seconds and top speed is 153 mph. The model still returns a very respectable 34.9 mpg on the combined economy cycle (35.3 DSG) and emits 189 g/km of CO2 (185 for the DSG model).
Bespoke exterior styling changes include a more sporty bodykit incorporating new side skirts and a revised front bumper which sits below bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights. Unique lightweight 18-inch ‘Watkins Glen’ alloy wheels, finished in ‘Dark Steel’ or – at no additional cost – silver, distinguish this model from the standard GTI, along with an Edition 35 badge on the front wing, gloss black door mirror casings, rear windows with 90 per cent tinted glass and rear tinted LED lights.
Subtle ‘35’ signatures are carried through to the interior, featuring on the head restraints of the heated Vienna leather front sports seats as well as the door sills and floor mats, along with a red stripe on the seatbelts and the now famous GTI ‘golf ball’ gearknob which is available on both manual and DSG transmissions.
Prices for the GTI Edition 35 start at £27,525 (RRP OTR) for the manual three-door model. There is a £1,295 premium for the DSG gearbox and £585 for five doors.
Although the new car is a special edition model, there is not a specific restriction on the number available. Volkswagen Retailers will begin taking orders now with first customer deliveries due next month.
Golf GTI Edition 35 line-up with pricing
| Engine | Gearbox | No. of doors | CO2, g/km | Price, £ RRP OTR |
| 2.0-litre TSI 235 PS | 6spd manual | 3 | 189 | 27,525 |
| 2.0-litre TSI 235 PS | 6spd auto DSG | 3 | 185 | 28,820 |
| 2.0-litre TSI 235 PS | 6spd manual | 5 | 189 | 28,110 |
| 2.0-litre TSI 235 PS | 6spd auto DSG | 5 | 185 | 29,405 |
