Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 45 costs from £39,980.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 45 arrives as VW celebrates 45 years since the Golf GTI arrived in 1976. Costs from £39,980.

It’s 45 years since the original Golf GTI arrived and, in the process, effectively created the Hot Hatch, and it’s enough to hang a new special edition Golf on – say hello to the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 45.

Of course, the GTI 45 was expected as we’ve previously had models like the Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40,and the VW Golf GTI Edition 35, so a GTI ’45’ was a given.

On sale from tomorrow (29 April) the GTI Clubsport 45 costs from £39,980 and comes with a black roof and rear spoiler, a set of 19″ Scottsdale alloys in black with a red pinstripe (wonder where they got that idea?) and ’45’ badges.

The GTI 45 also get 296bhp and 273lb/ft of torque from its 2.0 litre turbo petrol – the same as the Golf GTI Clubsport – but takes off the limiter so you can soldier on to 166mph instead of being reined in at 155mph, and adds an Akrapovi? titanium sports exhaust too.

VW’s Lisa Hartley said:

The Golf GTI Clubsport 45 celebrates 45 years of the Golf GTI in style. It’s the latest in a long line of GTI anniversary special editions, and offers a greater level of dynamic engagement and agility than ever before.

The Clubsport 45 is a piece of Volkswagen heritage in motion – the latest chapter in the ongoing Golf GTI story, 45 years –and counting – in the making. It is no exaggeration to call the GTI an automotive icon.