It took Volkswagen a couple of weeks to bring the facelifted Golf (Mk 8.5) to the market since the official introduction at the end of January, and the series' 50th birthday is celebrated with a special anniversary model.
Aptly dubbed the Volkswagen Golf Edition 50, it is a tribute to its predecessors that builds on the top-of-the-line Style (above the Life and entry-level). It comes with stuff such as the Leeds 18-inch alloys, a full-width light strip up front, an illuminated logo, tinted rear windows, and 50 emblems on the central pillars with a 3D design.
Moving over to the cabin, its exclusivity is further defined by the Edition 50 logos that can be seen on the steering wheel and in the front sill panel moldings. The German automaker says it also gets a black headliner, brushed stainless steel pedal caps, and the new infotainment system. Stuff such as the sliding panoramic sunroof, head-up display, and advanced LED headlamps are optional and part of the Plus Package.
It will be available with different powertrains, and in its most affordable configuration, it packs a 1.5L TSI gasoline engine rated at 148 hp (150 ps/110 kW) and mated to a manual gearbox. This version has a starting price of €36,820 ($39,572) in the model's home market of Germany, which makes it a bit more expensive than a brand-new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe that can be had from €36,500 ($39,228), albeit with slightly inferior firepower (134 hp/136 ps/100 kW) and a manual 'box.
Photo: Volkswagen
Volkswagen says the pre-sales phase of the facelifted Golf will include three trim levels. The base version, Life, and Style will be available for the two body styles of the compact car, hatchback and station wagon (Variant), and depending on the specification, it will be available with four drive variants. Pricing for the base models starts at €27,180 ($29,211) and €28,280 ($30,394) for the hatch and estate, respectively.
The lineup comprises two turbo gasoline units with 113 hp (115 ps/85 kW) and the aforementioned 148 hp (150 ps/110 kW), both with a manual gearbox. A pair of mild hybrids with identical output and a seven-speed DSG will also be available. All four units feature variable turbine geometry and active cylinder management.
According to the German car manufacturer, additional assemblies will follow shortly, and we already know that plug-in hybrids will continue to be part of the offering. The most humble variant will get 201 hp (204 ps/150 kW) combined, and the GTE will unleash 268 hp (272 ps/200 kW). The Golf GTI hot hatch will join the family with 261 hp (265 ps/195 kW), a 20 hp (20 ps/15 kW) boost over its predecessor, and the Golf R sporty all-wheel drive model will keep sitting at the top of the series when it launches, likely in a few months.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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