The Volkswagen Jetta GLI debuted in the United States in 1984 for buyers wanting the powertrain of the GTI but preferred a sedan body rather than a hatchback. The 2024 GLI 40th Anniversary Edition now comes to the US in a limited run of 1,984 examples. The model starts at $29,235 (after the $1,150 destination fee) and goes on sale this summer.
The Jetta GLI 40th Anniversary Edition will be available in Pure Gray, Pure White, and Rising Blue. They all feature black trim for the grille, mirror caps, and the tiny rear spoiler. Red accents also appear on the nose and badges.
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The special edition rides on 10-spoke 18-inch wheels with a black finish. The brake calipers behind them are red.
The 40th Anniversary Edition’s interior features cloth seats with asymmetrical debossed sections in the center. The chairs also have red piping and a “GLI 40” tag. The two cupholders have the GLI logo in the front and 1984 in the rear. A “40” logo is on the six o’clock spoke of the steering wheel.
The 40th Anniversary Edition doesn’t receive powertrain changes over the existing GLI Autobahn. This gives the sedan a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It comes with a six-speed manual and an electronic differential lock.
A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is also available and takes the price to $30,035 after the destination fee.
The 1984 VW Jetta GLI used a 1.8-liter four-cylinder making 90 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque. While modest by modern standards, it was competitive for an entry-level sport sedan at the time. A version with a 16-valve engine boosted the output to 123 hp for the 1988 model year.
There wasn’t a GLI model for the third-gen Jetta in the US, but VW revived the moniker for the fourth-gen model. Like the original, it shared engines with the GTI hatchback, including the VR6 and 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.