VW Golf GTI 40 Years manual confirmed

Volkswagen Australia’s confirmed buyers can now order its most powerful ever Golf with a self-shifter plugged in between its pews.

After revealing it didn’t want the Golf GTI 40 Years to be a DSG-only prospect, the local firm has ensured, like Europe, Australians will score the hardcore special edition with a six-speed manual transmission.

Just like its automatic twin, the manual GTI 40 Years’ turbocharged 2.0-litre EA888 will be able to swell regular 195kW/350Nm outputs to 213kW/380Nm for 10 seconds during overboost - more than any other locally-sold Golf, including the R.

There’ll also be a tricky electro-hydraulic diff up front to shoot full power to either axle. And in fact, this will be the first time Aussies will experience the smart-diff in a manual Golf GTI.

Thankfully, the manual 40 Years undercuts the DSG variant by $2K, setting its price at $46,990 – only $500 more than the current 169kW GTI Performance.

New ‘exclusive’ 19-inch Ruby wheels will feature on our 40 Years, which are reportedly different to those found on the international Clubsport (as the car is known elsewhere). But VW is yet to release piccies of our local specification car.

Good things come to those who wait, however, as delivery of manual-equipped 40 Years variants has been pegged for this year’s ‘third quarter’, behind the June delivery of DSG models.

Order books for VW’s manual transmission Golf GTI 40 Years are now open.