VW Golf GTI Edition 35 on way

To mark the 35th anniversary of the Golf GTI, Volkswagen has unveiled a special GTI Edition 35 with more power and more collectability.

A limited number of the special edition GTIs have been earmarked for Australia and will be arriving later this year.

The Edition 35 follows in the tradition of the fifth generation Pirelli special edition released here in January 2009.

But this one produces even more power and torque at 173kW and 300Nm, employing a slightly detuned version of the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine from the all-wheel drive Golf R.

The dash from 0-100km/h takes 6.6 seconds and the car has a top speed of 247km/h. The Pirelli was good for 6.6 seconds and 245km/h.

It's been 35 years since the original GTI was unveiled back in the summer of 1976.

Overseas the car is available in six-speed manual or in six-speed DSG form, but no word yet on our cars (Pirelli was DSG only). Visually, the GTI Edition 35 can be recognised by its new front bumper design,. The car's aerodynamics have been improved by winglets (air flow surfaces) positioned at lower outboard areas in front, and the mid-section of the front spoiler was kept in black. On the car's sides, it is the glossy black mirror housings, side sill extensions in body colour and the "35" edition badge on the front wings that identify the anniversary model.

All Golf GTI Edition 35 cars are also equipped with smoked LED rear lights, an LED-illuminated licence plate at the rear and smoked rear windows.

Inside there's a gear shift grip in the classic golf ball look of the first generation GTI, new decorative strips in the cockpit area and the door trim panels, special door sill plates with the "35" logo, safety belts with red stripes and a "35" integrated in the front head restraints of the top sport seats ("Jacky" style). In addition, the interior design team conceptualised an entirely new type of upholstery for the Golf GTI Edition 35 in "Favo" / "San Remo" pattern (optional), which, like "Jacky" (standard), matches the GTI's character perfectly.

The centre seat panels have active-breathing microfibres (likewise black), and their styling matches the legendary honeycomb pattern of the GTI radiator grille. The "35" logo appears on the backs of the seats, and all decorative seams of this seat design are in "Flash Red". Also always in red: decorative seams around the 3-spoke sport steering wheel, the hand brake and gear shift trim as well as the borders of the floor mats.