2023 VW Golf GTI 40th Anniversary Edition Celebrates the Big 4-0

• VW’s GTI 40th Anniversary Edition arrives as a midyear 2023 model.

• It slots in between the base S and the SE, with a starting price of $34,150 (add $800 for the automatic transmission).

• Production is limited to approximately 1500 units, evenly split between the six-speed stick and seven-speed DSG.

Once you pass 21, milestone birthdays are often greeted with as much trepidation as celebration. There’s the existential dread of aging, the questioning of one’s accomplishments, and the worrying evidence of physical decline. But for cars, it’s different. Thus, with the Volkswagen GTI hitting the big 4-0 this year (the U.S. version at least), there was nothing to do but celebrate the occasion. Well, maybe also monetize the occasion, by rolling out a special 40th Anniversary Edition.

This GTI dons some party garb in the form of special lower-body graphics, 40th-anniversary badging, and exclusive colors of Tornado Red and Urano Gray (versus Kings Red metallic and Moonstone Gray on other GTIs), along with Opal White Pearl and Pomelo Yellow Metallic. For an extra pop of contrast, the roof, wheels, and mirror caps are rendered in black, another Anniversary Edition exclusive. Inside, you’ll find the same plaid cloth seats as found in the S and the SE. Perfect.

The 40th Anniversary Edition is based on the entry-level S model, but it adds a couple of key items normally reserved for the top-spec Autobahn: adaptive dampers and 19-inch wheels with 235-35 summer tires as well as speed-sensitive steering. So there’s some substance beneath the revelry.

VW says the redline-accented wheels are borrowed from the European GTI Clubsport 45 (the model has been around longer over there), but unfortunately, the Clubsport’s engine, which is turned up to 296 horsepower, isn’t invited to our birthday bash. The 40th Anniversary Edition has the same 241-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 as the rest of the U.S. GTI lineup.

The $34,150 ask for the 40th Anniversary Edition represents a $2875 upcharge over the base car, which seems worth it to get the adaptive dampers without having to lay out nearly 40 large for the autobahn.

Will the GTI as we know it survive into the electric age? Hard to say, but better grab one while you still can. After all, you’re not getting any younger.

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