That's right, Volkswagen is stickin' it to the GTI's stick shift for good. Those keen on picking up one of the last GTIs with its original transmission format have until the end of the 2024 model year, during which VW will offer the special-edition Golf GTI 380 Edition. That figure refers to the current-generation GTI's internal code, 380, and not only will it include the aforementioned dying transmission (a six-speed, by the way), but it'll also gets adaptive dampers, gloss-black 19-inch wheels, a black-painted roof and door mirrors, and a golf-ball-dimpled shift knob.

Even better, the special-edition 380 treatment is just that: It's available on all of the 2024 GTI's manual-transmission-offering trim levels, from the entry-level S to the SE and all the way up to the range-topping Autobahn. The S and SE get the GTI's iconic plaid cloth seats, while the Autobahn trades that for leather, just like in non-380 models. Regular GTI paint colors are available, including Kings Red, Atlantic Blue, Deep Black Pearl, Moonstone Gray, and Opal White Pearl, but the 380s are available in an exclusive Graphite Gray finish.

The GTI's six-speed manual will be survived by the currently optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. With this move, which also applies to the higher-output Golf R, Volkswagen is ceding stick-shift availability to Honda's Civic Type R, Toyota's GR Corolla, and Hyundai's Elantra N. Come to think of it, that's not an entirely un-crowded field...