Volkswagen is celebrating the anniversary of this icon with the new Golf GTI Edition 35. Visually, the Golf GTI Edition 35 can be recognised by its new bumper design in front, which can be optionally equipped with bi-xenon headlights plus cornering and LED daytime running lights. The car’s aerodynamics are improved by winglets (air flow surfaces) positioned at lower outboard areas in front. The mid-section of the front spoiler was kept in black. There are also glossy black mirror housings, side sill extensions in body colour and the “35″ edition badges on the front wings. All Golf GTI Edition 35 cars are equipped with smoked LED rear lights, an LED-illuminated licence plate at the rear and smoked rear windows.
White, black, red and silver have been classic GTI colours for 35 years. Naturally, they (and 5 other paints) are also offered on the GTI Edition 35. To be specific, Volkswagen is offering this Golf in the 3 monochrome colours “Candy White”, “Tornado Red” and “Black”, 4 metallic paints “Carbon Steel Grey”, “Reflex Silver”, “Shadow Blue” and “United Grey” and in the pearl effect colours “Blue Graphite” and “Deep Black”.
The engine employed in the Golf GTI Edition 35 is a turbocharged petrol direct-injection engine of the EA113 engine series. The 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine builds up its propulsive power via a turbocharger (0.9 bar boost pressure at 5500 rpm) with intercooling. The GTI engine is controlled by a fully electronic engine management system with E-Gas. The engine’s pistons are equipped with reinforced gudgeon pins. The connecting rod was also designed with greater strength, so that it can reliably transfer high torque to the crankshaft. The cylinder block was reinforced to handle the extremely high engine forces that occur. Golf GTI Edition 35 provides 235 hp between 5500-6300rpm (+ 25 hp compared to the normal GTI) and 300 Nm between 2200-5500rpm (+ 20 Nm). It can accelerate from zero to hundred in 6.6 seconds and reach and top speed of 247 km/h.
The engine’s power is transferred via either a manual 6-speed gearbox or an optional 6-speed DSG transmission. For 35 years, the GTI has been driven via the front axle. There, the standard XDS electronic differential lock now ensures that the rubber on the tyres remains there and does not end up on the street. Moreover, XDS significantly improves handling properties. Technically, XDS is a functional extension of the electronic differential lock (EDS) that is integrated in the ESP system. As soon as the electronics detects that the front wheel at the inside of the bend is excessively unloaded during fast driving, the ESP hydraulics build up braking pressure at this wheel to restore optimal traction. That is, XDS acts as a transverse differential lock that compensates for the typical understeering of front-wheel drive vehicles during quick driving through bends. The result: thanks to XDS, the driving behaviour of the GTI is significantly more precise and neutral.
Like all GTIs, the Edition 35 is equipped with a sport chassis; the body sits 15 mm lower than on a conventional Golf. Working in front is the familiar MacPherson suspension with helical springs and telescoping dampers. At the rear, an innovative multi-link suspension ensures that the ESP system seldom needs to be activated. The Volkswagen’s four disc brakes are also extremely durable and strong: braked from 100 km/h, the Golf GTI Edition 35 reaches a standstill after about 35 metres! And that too is typical for this GTI.
