In June of 1976, the first-generation Golf GTI was launched in Germany. Initially planned to be a limited production of 5,000, the car went on to become a global success. The United States had to wait almost a decade before we received our version: the 1983 Rabbit GTI. Equally successful here, the GTI spawned many imitators but to many remains a defining example of the “hot hatch.”

Wolf and Mare is proud to present this example of what many consider to be peak GTI: A 2003 Volkswagen GTI 20th Anniversary Edition. The car was acquired by Wolf and Mare’s founder in April of 2025 and is now for sale with a clean Virginia title.

Built in 2003 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the debut of the Rabbit GTI in the USA in 1983, the 20th Anniversary Edition GTI was built in limited numbers in exclusive colors and specification. Far more than a pretty face, the 20th Anniversary Edition GTI hails from a time when Volkswagen was intimately connected to its enthusiast audience and as such, the 20th AE is essentially a tuner car from the factory.

The car on offer features striking Imola Yellow paint, one of 3 special edition colors released on the 20th Anniversary Edition car and the brochure color for the model. Two other colors, Jazz Blue and Black Magic Pearl, were also offered with 2,000 cars painted in Black Magic Pearl, and 1,000 each for Imola Yellow and Jazz Blue. Just 4000 were produced in total for the United States market.

Exterior enhancements included a Votex body kit that included side skirts, unique front bumper with spoiler, custom rear bumper and a color-matched spoiler on the hatch. Badging was unique to the 20th Anniversary Edition, harking back to the old-school slab-serif font of the original GTI. A small, polished chrome Rabbit icon next to the rear badging further identifies the car as a 20th Anniversary Edition.

Based on paint meter readings and previous owner testimony, the exterior paint of this GTI is completely original. Minor chips and scuffs have been touched up over the years and the paint has been protected with a ceramic coating. There is no sign of any body rust anywhere, thanks to the car’s residence in a southern California garage for its entire life. Due to the LA area heat, the rear quarter window seals do show some cracking of the rubber seals.

Performance was dialed up as well, with many praising the 20th Anniversary Edition as the car the MkIV GTI should have been. A 180 horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder motivated the car from 0-60 in a swift 7.5 seconds, but the car’s handling is where it really shines. Larger vented brakes front and rear provided greater stopping power with less fade and a lowered sport suspension provided a firmer and more planted ride.

Given this celebration edition of the GTI was essentially fully loaded, there was but one option: ESP, and this car has it. Based on entries in the 20th Anniversary Edition GTI Registry, ESP cars are significantly rarer than those without.

This fourth-generation Volkswagen GTI runs, shifts, and drives beautifully with good acceleration, great clutch bite and smooth shifting with no gear grind. Braking is excellent and performs as new.

A new battery was installed to replace an aging unit in March of 2023. Recent service work includes timing belt, tensioner, water pump and coolant replacement in April of 2024. The previous (and original) owner ensured the car had regular oil changes and service throughout the car’s life. Preparation for sale included replacing a noisy secondary air injection pump with a date-matched original, interior touch-ups and headlight restoration.

The engine bay is clean and tidy with none of the typical modifications (such as cold air intake or replacement turbo hoses). Even the underhood sound pad is intact and in excellent condition. The engine loses a few drops of oil per day and the source appears to be a seeping valve cover gasket. The only modifications from stock are H&R Sport springs, a Neuspeed rear sway bar, and an APR octane tune — all added in-period.

All four 18” multispoke Aristo alloy wheels wear their original finish and exhibit some chips and wear from the years. The passenger side front wheel has a small area of curb rash on the rim. The factory finish on these wheels is not your average silver — it positively glows in sunlight. Red painted brake calipers, an original detail, stand out from behind the wheels.

Since the car was delivered new to southern California and never left, the undercarriage of this GTI is rust-free and the original factory-tuned exhaust is in great condition. Even the fasteners are free of corrosion!

The interior of the 20th Anniversary Edition is just as special as on the outside. For the first time on a MkIV GTI, the headliner and pillars were covered in black fabric instead of gray. Deeply bolstered striped cloth Recaro seats with embroidered GTI logo and gray stitching provided snug seating during hard cornering, and the supplemental restraint belts featured red edge striping.

Brushed aluminum accents were added to plus-up the already class-leading interior of the GTI of the period, and the center console features the car’s unique production number.

The interior of the car was clearly cared for and is very well preserved. The seat upholstery on these cars is usually torn from repeatedly entering and exiting the deeply bolstered seats, but this car’s fabric is intact. The driver’s side lower bolster shows a little bit of looseness in the fabric from foam degradation, and the doors show sagging fabric inserts — a common age-related issue for MkIV Volkswagens.

Remarkably, the headliner is not sagging, though the corners of the sun visor wells exhibit some wrinkling. The B and C-pillars show slight loosening of the fabric coverings, as is typical with age. The original gray-bordered floor mats are in good shape, but show some cracking of the edge fabric and wear on the driver’s side.

Owned for 22 years by its original buyer, this GTI was lovingly cared for during much of its life, and has a thick service history file to accompany it. All electrical and mechanical components operate as they should, and despite the mileage the car feels like a 2 year-old, not a 22 year-old, Volkswagen GTI. There are some interior and exterior cosmetic blemishes here and there, but from 5 feet the car appears showroom-new.

20th Anniversary Edition GTIs under 100,000 miles, especially in Jazz Blue or Imola Yellow, have been seeing strong values of late. MkIV GTIs are usually very worn out from a succession of many owners and lack of maintenance. This example’s unmolested, unmodified condition and long single-owner history make it a rare find among the few 20th AEs that appear on the market.

Many former owners have expressed major regret at selling their 20th Anniversary Edition GTIs. Whether you’d like to experience the magic again or experience it for the first time, this car is your time machine to 2003 where Volkswagen was at the top of its game.

If you are interested in this vehicle, inquire with us today!