Meet The Volkswagen Golf GTI 380: Your Last Chance To Own A Manual Golf GTI

Aug. 30, 2023 11:05 AM ET by年代ebastian Cenizo 年代pecial Editions /5 Comments

Future models will be DSG only.

Volkswagen has just announced the Golf GTI 380, a special equipment package that will be offered as standard on every2024 Golf GTIordered with a manual transmission. The 2024 MY will be the last for production of the manual GTI, so VW is celebrating it with a selection of new upgrades that include new wheels, gloss black accents, and the option of a new color. Summer tires and the DCC adaptive damping system will also be thrown in.

"The GTI 380 conveys our appreciation for the enthusiasts who have continually demonstrated their love for the manual-equipped GTI for over four decades," said Petar Danilovic, Senior VP of Product Marketing & Strategy for Volkswagen of America.

The "380" part of the name comes from the internal model code for the current-generation Mk 8 and gives a nod to the fourth-generation GTI 337 special edition from 2002, which borrowed the internal model code from the first-generation GTI. So what is on offer?

Whether you order an S, an SE, or an Autobahn trim, the package provides a gloss black roof, matching mirror caps, and gloss black 19-inch alloys borrowed from theGolf R 20th Anniversary Edition. Like that car, this special edition fails to be all that special, but at least you do get a GTI 380-exclusive color in the form of Graphite Gray Metallic, although Volkswagen has not shown it here.

If that's not your jam, the GTI 380 palette also includes Deep Black Pearl, Atlantis Blue Metallic, Kings Red Metallic, Reflex Silver Metallic, Moonstone Gray, and Opal White Pearl. Inside, the S and SE trims come with Scalepaper Plaid cloth seats, but the Vienna leather upholstery that comes with the Autobahn trim is also available as an added extra on the mid-range SE. No performance upgrades have been made.

Pricing for the GTI 380, which goes on sale in early fall 2023, will begin at $32,485 for the S, $37,285 for the SE, and $40,625 for the Autobahn.

Although we're disappointed with the extent of the upgrades, hardcore fans may want to consider that VW explicitly says "this model is the last Golf GTI to be offered with a six-speed manual, while the seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission will carry forward on future GTI models and on theGolf R."