Released in 1984, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI will celebrate its 40th birthday when it enters the 2024 model year. The Wolfsburg-based brand is commemorating the occasion with a limited-edition model called 40th Anniversary Edition that features specific accents inside and out.
Buyers have three paint colors called Pure Gray, Pure White, and Rising Blue to choose from. Regardless of which shade you pick, the GLI 40th Anniversary Edition gains black exterior trim, “GLI 40” emblems on the fenders, and black-painted 18-inch wheels.
The cloth upholstery was designed specifically for the 40th Anniversary Edition, and the pattern on the seats will vary from car to car. Volkswagen compares it to a “one-of-a-kind fingerprint.” There’s also a “40” emblem on the steering wheel’s lower spoke, “GLI 40” written on the seat tags and on the door sills, and “GLI 1984” lettering added to the cupholder tray. The standard car’s red interior accents remain.
Volkswagen isn’t making changes to the specifications sheet, so power comes from a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The company’s photos show the sedan equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that’s optional on the regular-production model. There’s no word yet on whether the standard six-speed stick will be available.
The turbo-four exhales through a sport exhaust system. Like the regular-production Jetta GLI, the commemorative model is equipped with bigger model-specific brakes, an electronically-controlled torque-sensing limited-slip differential, and the DCC adaptive damping system.
Due out this summer — so, any day now — the Volkswagen Jetta GLI 40th Anniversary Edition is limited to 1,984 units on the American market. Pricing starts at $28,085 excluding destination. In comparison, the 2023 Jetta GLI starts at $32,680 including a $1,095 destination charge.
To put the aforementioned figures into context, the original Jetta GLI shared its 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with the Rabbit GTI and the Scirocco, among other cars. It sent 90 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission.
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