Sad news. Volkswagen will bid farewell to the manual-transmission variants of its Golf GTI, marking the end of an era for the iconic VW. To commemorate this occasion, the German automaker unveiled the Golf GTI 380, a special edition package that will adorn every 2024 stick-shift 6-Speed GTI, serving as a tribute to the beloved do-it-yourself gearbox. Additionally, the 2024 model year will also witness the departure of the manual transmission from the 315-horsepower Golf R.
The Golf GTI 380, named after the internal model code of the eighth-generation GTI, introduces subtle enhancements. Available in a distinct Graphite Gray Metallic paint option alongside the standard color range, this edition features black 19-inch wheels borrowed from the Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition, paired with summer performance tires as standard. Complementing the wheels are a blackened roof and side-view mirrors, while the adaptive dampers from the top-tier Autobahn model become standard across all manual 2024 GTIs. Despite these updates, Volkswagen maintains consistency in the cabin, and all GTIs retain the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine, generating 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.
Although Volkswagen did not specify the exact reasons behind discontinuing the manual transmission, we'd like to rescue it. Bye Bye GTI.
