Volkswagen’s Fastest GTI Yet? Nürburgring Lap Time Shocks Everyone!
Volkswagen is turning up the heat at the Nürburgring. The new Golf GTI Edition 50 just set a scorching lap time of 7 minutes and 46.13 seconds, making it the fastest Volkswagen-badged production car to lap the world’s most demanding track. What is even more impressive is that this lap was done on the full 20.8-kilometer layout, unlike past attempts that used the shorter 20.6-kilometer route.
To compare, the previous record-holding Golf R 20 Years Edition and the Golf GTI Clubsport S both ran the shorter configuration, which cuts out a 200-meter segment near the old start-finish line. But when tested on that same layout, the GTI Edition 50 still posted a blistering time of 7 minutes and 41.27 seconds, beating them both by a clear margin.
Even though it now leads all Volkswagens at the Nürburgring, the Golf GTI Edition 50 is still slightly behind the current front-wheel-drive king, the Honda Civic Type R. The Civic lapped the full 20.8-kilometer course in 7 minutes and 44.88 seconds, making it just 1.25 seconds faster.
Volkswagen plans to fully reveal the GTI Edition 50 on June 20, but we already know the record was set by a near-production test car equipped with an optional Performance Package. That kit includes lightweight forged wheels, Bridgestone Potenza Race semi-slick tires, and a few secret chassis tweaks.
There is no confirmation yet on whether the car will receive a power boost. The standard Golf GTI produces 261 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The GTI Clubsport gets a bump to 296 horsepower with the same engine, but that model is not available in the United States. A dual-clutch automatic gearbox handled shifting duties on the record run, as the GTI dropped the manual option with the Mk8.5 update.
The only challenger left within the Volkswagen lineup might be a future Golf R Clubsport, assuming it ever gets built. Still, nothing road-legal will likely touch the electric ID.R racer, which remains the absolute Nürburgring king with a mind-blowing 6-minute and 5-second lap.
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