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Volkswagen Marks 50 Years of Golf GTI With Record Edition 50 and Revived Roadster Concept

Conflicting performance claims for the roofless show car underscore its role as a spectacle rather than a production model.

Overview

  • The Golf GTI Edition 50 is presented as the most powerful production GTI at 239 kW (325 PS) with a 270 km/h top speed, and it is already open for orders with first deliveries in 2026.
  • Volkswagen resurfaced the dramatic 2014 Gran Turismo–origin Roadster as a one‑off display car in Dark Moss Green Metallic, featuring no roof, upward‑opening doors and reinterpreted roll‑bar C‑pillars.
  • Reported figures for the Roadster cite a 3.0‑liter twin‑turbo V6 with about 503 hp (370 kW), all‑wheel drive and a claimed 0–100 km/h in 3.6 seconds with a 309 km/h top speed.
  • Media disagree on the Roadster’s torque output, with outlets publishing 560 Nm or 665 Nm, highlighting inconsistent specifications for the non‑series concept.
  • A test drive report from Circuit Castellolí describes the car as a singular, collection‑bound prototype with 7‑speed DSG and AWD, as Volkswagen also signals the GTI’s electric direction with the ID. Polo GTI at 166 kW (226 PS).