Heading
Close X
Menu
It was a weekend to remember for Volkswagen and GTI fans around the world, as the Golf GTI EDITION 50 made its spectacular world premiere at the Nürburgring – immediately followed by a class win in the 24-hour endurance race on the legendary circuit.
Over 280,000 spectators – a new attendance record – gathered in Germany’s Eifel region to witness the unveiling of the most powerful production GTI ever built and cheer on the race-ready Golf GTI Clubsport 24h as it took on the gruelling "Green Hell".
The excitement kicked off on Friday when the striking Golf GTI EDITION 50 in Tornado Red was unveiled on the Ringboulevard. The debut was led by Martin Sander, Member of the Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and After Sales at Volkswagen, alongside Benny Leuchter, Volkswagen racing and development driver.
The EDITION 50 marks a significant milestone for the GTI legacy, delivering record-breaking performance on the track. Leuchter recently set a new lap record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a pre-production version of the car, clocking an astonishing time of 07:46.125 minutes.
On Saturday, the action shifted to the race track as the Golf GTI Clubsport 24h – car number 19 – took to the grid. Driven by Benny Leuchter, Johan Kristoffersson (Sweden), Heiko Hammel, and Nico Otto, the car started from pole position in the AT3 class for vehicles running on alternative fuels.
Despite facing high summer temperatures and a power outage that delayed the race by over two hours, the GTI held its lead and crossed the line on Sunday as class winner, finishing 24th overall out of 135 entries.
The specially prepared GTI delivers 397 PS (291 kW) and is powered by a fuel blend made from 60% renewable raw materials, proving that performance and sustainability can go hand in hand.
"The 24-hour race provided a great stage for celebrating the world premiere of the Golf GTI EDITION 50 and then gave the Golf GTI the chance to prove itself in the famous 'Green Hell'. GTI and the Nürburgring simply belong together," said Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand. "Thank you and congratulations to our team from Max Kruse Racing for all the preparation work and the excellent result. The spectators experienced a true festival of motorsport here."
Benny Leuchter, who led the team to victory, added:
"Of course, we are proud and happy to have won the class again and finished in 24th place overall with our Golf GTI. It was a really hot and difficult race. Our goal was to be fast without taking too much risk. In the end, it paid off. Our Golf GTI ran like a clockwork."
While one GTI shone in the spotlight, the second Golf GTI Clubsport 24h – car number 76, piloted by Jasmin Preisig, Fabian Vettel, Timo Hochwind, and Christian Gebhardt – was forced to retire early. A slip off the track caused grass and dirt to block the cooling system, leading to engine overheating and withdrawal after 31 laps.
Despite the setback, the weekend was a celebration of all things GTI: performance, heritage, and cutting-edge innovation.
Stay tuned to GTI World for future updates on the Golf GTI EDITION 50 as it moves closer to launch – and join us in celebrating another unforgettable Nürburgring triumph for the iconic GTI nameplate.
8 Westerton Road, East Mains Industrial Estate, Broxburn
West Lothian EH52 5AU
Calls may be monitored for quality and training purposes. Eastern Western Motor Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and insurance distribution activities under reference number 310505 – we are a credit broker not a lender. Registered Office: 8 Westerton Road, East Mains Industrial Estate, Broxburn West Lothian EH52 5AU Registered in Scotland No. 14833 VAT Registration No. 269233051.
We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers.