Overview
- The Golf GTI Edition 50 reclaimed the front-wheel-drive production record with a 7:44.523, set Thursday by Benny Leuchter after a 7:46 run last year.
- The lap on the 12.9-mile Nordschleife beat the Honda Civic Type R’s 2023 benchmark of 7:44.881 by 0.358 seconds.
- VW’s optional GTI Performance Pack enabled the run with stiffer springs, extra negative camber, forged 19-inch wheels, Bridgestone Potenza Race semi-slicks, and an Akrapovič titanium exhaust.
- The Edition 50 makes 321 hp and 310 lb-ft from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four, making it the most powerful GTI yet.
- VW last held the crown in 2016 with the GTI Clubsport S on a slightly shorter measured course, and a shrinking field of new high-power FWD cars could leave this mark standing longer.