EVERY few years, Volkswagen wheels out a special anniversary edition of the Golf GTI, writes William Scholes.
This year, they're on to the 45th anniversary of the iconic hot hatch. To mark the milestone, the birthday badge is attached to a fettled version of the potent GTI Clubsport model.
VW describes it as a "ready-made collector's item" - previous anniversary editions of the GTI have certainly lived up to this billing.
The first Clubsport version of the GTI was launched in 2016 to mark the model's 40th birthday.
This latest version is more potent and comes with a more sophisticated chassis. Power from the 2.0-litre turbo engine is rated at 296bhp and the 'regular' Clubsport's trick electromechanical front-axle locking differential is carried over.
There are a bunch of cosmetic tweaks inside and out to set the anniversary car apart from the normal Clubsport.
These include liberal application of '45' logos, a black roof and, in a nod to the original 1976 GTI, a black roof spoiler.
