Volkswagen has announced that a new limited edition version of the compact Polo GTI hot hatch will be available to order in the UK in the near future.
Called the ‘Edition 25’, this special version will offer a slight performance boost over the standard hot hatch, a few unique design touches and an extensive standard equipment package. This exclusive trim comes as Volkswagen celebrates the Polo GTI’s 25th birthday, and only 2,500 of these models will be up for grabs worldwide.
Starting with exterior looks, the ‘Edition 25’ sports a honeycomb radiator grille, red detailing and ‘GTI’ branding like the standard model, but with extra bits of subtle design flair. The model sits on 18-inch alloy wheels finished in black gloss, and features a black roof and black door mirrors.
In addition to the Polo GTI’s equipment list that already includes Matrix LED headlights, daytime running lights, a twin exhaust tailpipe and sports suspension, the ‘Edition 25’ also comes with an electronic differential lock that was originally designed for the bigger Golf GTI, which improves the traction and handling by compensating for understeer in fast corners.
Inside, the leather-wrapped steering wheel gains some ’25’ branding, and lettering located on the car’s door sills will tell you the position your car was on the production line out of the 2,500 models sold.
This limited-run model uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, but Volkswagen’s engineers have upped the car’s power output to 207hp for the ‘Edition 25’ – an increase of 7hp. It might not seem like much, but the manufacturer reports that this power boost knocks two tenths of a second off the Polo GTI’s 0-62mph sprint time. The ‘Edition 25’ can officially reach 62mph in 6.5 seconds.
Like most of the compact Polo range, the Polo GTI ‘Edition 25’ will be manufactured in South Africa. This special edition goes on sale in Germany at the start of June, but we will have to wait a little longer here in the UK.
Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed how many of the 2,500 ‘Edition 25’ models will be allocated for sale in the UK, and hasn’t decided on UK pricing either. In Germany though, we know that pricing will begin at just north of €35k (£30k).
Now in its sixth generation, the Volkswagen Polo GTI is regarded as a capable all-rounder that offers punchy performance and a practical interior that is almost as big as the more expensive Golf GTI. That said, reviewers agree that it lacks the fun factor of its most popular rivals, many concluding that the hot hatch is too mature for its own good. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 55%.
