VW’s Golf GTI Edition 50 just set a 7:44.523 lap at the Nürbrurging. It beat the Honda Civic Type R’s time set in 2023 by 0.358 seconds. Edition 50’s optional Performance Pack adds semi slicks, forged wheels. Volkswagen’s Golf GTI is back on top at the Nürburgring for the first time in nine years. The Edition 50 anniversary special snatched the Nürburgring front wheel drive lap record back from Honda’s Civic Type R, which has owned the title of fastest front-wheel drive car since 2023. This wasn’t a walkover though. The Edition 50 lapped the 12.9-mile (20.8 km) Nordschleife in 7:44.523, beating the Honda Civic Type R’s benchmark by just 0.358 seconds. When Civic took its place at the top of the leaderboard, it put a similarly small 0.509 seconds between itself and the previous record holder, Renault’s Megane Trophy-R. Related: VW’s Most Spectacular Golf R Ever Won’t Be One You Can Buy VW fans will remember the automaker previously held the FWD Nürburgring crown back in 2016 with the Golf GTI Clubsport S. It completed the course in 7:49.21, though that was back in the days when cars were only timed over 12.8 miles (20.6 km), so not directly comparable with the latest record. Honda then took the title in 2017 with the FK8 Civic Type R, on that occasion beating the Clubsport S by a massive 5.4 seconds. The Edition 50 packs 321 hp (325 PS) and 310 lb-ft from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four, making it the most powerful GTI ever sold, and not far off the 329 hp (333 PS) of the heavier, all-wheel drive Golf R. By contrast, the 2.0-liter engine only makes 262 hp (265 PS) in the regular European GTI (US GTIs only get 242 hp / 245 PS) and 297 hp (300 PS) in the GTI Clubsport. Chassis Upgrade But it was more than a few extra horses that helped VW dethrone the Type R. The record-setting car also featured VW’s optional GTI Performance Pack, which brings stiffer springs, extra negative camber, revised chassis tuning, forged 19-inch wheels, Bridgestone Potenza Race semi slicks, and an Akrapovič titanium exhaust. The package cuts weight and sharpens responses, while dropping ride height another 5 mm (0.2 inches) and weight by 30 kg (66 lbs). VW says the Edition 50 feels more neutral and composed over the Nürburgring’s bumps and jumps, and driver Benny Leuchter backed that up in comments made after the run. Leuchter last year logged a 7:46.13 time when the Edition 50 was announced, making it the fastest ever GTI, though not quite fast enough to dethrone the Type R. But he obviously found a few more tenths this time. VW