Volkswagen has stolen the top spot from the Honda Civic Type R, but just barely. The Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 is now the new front-wheel-drive king of the Nürburgring, with a lap time of 7 minutes and 44.523 seconds. The margin between the Type R and GTI is incredibly tight; the Honda put down a 7:44.881. So, Volkswagen wins by just over three-tenths of a second.
The lap time was set by racing driver and VW test development driver Benjamin Leuchter. This is actually the second time he set a lap time in the GTI, beating a time about two seconds slower in 2025.
View Price on AmazonThe Edition 50 has an especially sporty performance package that can be added to the GTI in Europe, but is not available in the U.S. It adds unique chassis tuning, lowers the ride height by 0.2 inches, fits a titanium exhaust system, and adds 19-inch forged wheels. Most important of all, though: it’s available with Bridgestone Potenza Race semi-slick tires, which we suspect deserve an outsized amount of credit for the spectacular lap time. The Edition 50 also has a lot more power than a regular GTI, sitting at 321 horsepower—just under the output of a Golf R.
Volkswagen also notes that its lap was performed under good weather conditions. The question that remains is if Honda plans to go back to the Nürburgring to reclaim its crown. It feels fitting to have a mega-GTI on top for the model’s 50th birthday, but Honda has already said it plans to reveal a refreshed Civic Type R later this year. If it has any performance enhancements, it would only be right for Honda to challenge what VW just put down.
Source: roadandtrack.com
