Grand Tourer Injection. These three words (or more precisely, the three letter GTI acronym made from them) changed the motoring world in 1976 when they were applied to the rump of Volkswagen’s Golf.
The hot hatchback was born, high-performance and sports car handling were available to the masses. The whole family could hoon, and buyers couldn’t get enough. VW originally thought that there was a market for perhaps 5000 GTIs, but in the car’s first year alone more than 50,000 were sold.
Now, 50 years later, VW has another big year ahead for the GTI, with a series of celebratory events, the launch of the fastest edition in its history, and the reveal of the first electric version.
The Golf GTI will be center stage at classic car events across the globe, kicking off with Rétromobile in Paris (which, coincidentally was also first staged in 1976) from January 28, and the Bremen Classic Motorshow from 30 January.
Deliveries of the Golf GTI Edition 50 will also begin in the New Year. The 325-hp Golf has already become the fastest production VW to complete the Nürburgring (7:46.13 since you asked), and it would be reasonable to expect more lap records to mark the car’s half-century during 2026. Sadly, the limited run anniversary special won’t be sold in the U.S. but some of the fancy parts, such as the Akrapovič titanium exhaust, and sticky Bridgestone Potenza Race tires might become optional.
Next up will be the most controversial moment in the GTI’s history as the first electric car to wear those three emotive letters is launched. It won’t be a Golf, but instead it’s the smaller ID. Polo which will get the GTI treatment. Due to arrive in Europe in summer 2026 it will take on the likes of the Alpine A110 with a 226-hp electric motor driving the front wheels, utilizing an electronic front axle differential lock to put its power down. VW describes this as “propelling its DNA into the era of electric mobility.” Will it change the world in the way its predecessor did 50 years ago? We’ll find out soon enough.
