Few badges have become as familiar or as influential as Volkswagen’s GTI.

Introduced in 1976, the Golf GTI helped establish the template for the modern hot hatch, combining useful everyday accommodation with performance and handling that made even an ordinary journey enjoyable.

To celebrate its first quarter-century, Volkswagen created the 25th Anniversary Edition, giving the fourth-generation Golf a distinctive specification with thoughtful references to its predecessors. For UK buyers, the Anniversary was offered with either a turbocharged petrol engine or Volkswagen’s increasingly accomplished 1.9-litre TDI.

The latter reflected the changing tastes of the period, when advances in diesel technology brought strong performance and impressive economy together in a credible sporting package.

In PD150 form, the four-cylinder Pumpe Düse turbodiesel produced 150PS and 320Nm of torque, driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

Its substantial mid-range response gave t...