Marking the Volkswagen Golf’s 50th birthday, a new high-performance ‘Clubsport’ version of the Golf GTI has been unveiled, which will be one of the most powerful hot hatches on the market when it arrives in the UK later this year.
Unveiled at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race in Germany, this is the second ‘Clubsport’ iteration of the Mk8 Golf. Like the first limited-run Mk8 GTI Clubsport which launched alongside the standard GTI in 2021, this new ‘Clubsport’ features the now-familiar narrow LED headlights and wide air intakes of the standard Mk8 Golf, as well as an illuminated Volkswagen badge.
The hot hatch comes with a thick rear spoiler and a slightly reshaped rear diffuser with black detailing, as well as a black roof and red GTI badges on the front doors. The car sits on 19-inch alloy wheels with a new ‘Queenstown’ design pattern.
Under the bonnet, the Clubsport is powered by a 300hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds. This is the same engine configuration as the 2021 Clubsport, and is 55hp more powerful and 0.8 seconds faster than the standard GTI. The range-topping Golf R is still the more powerful choice with 315hp.
Top speed is electronically capped at 155mph as standard, but the optional ‘Race’ package boosts that to 166mph. Drive is sent through a seven-speed automatic gearbox, and Volkswagen has revised the chassis design to improve the car’s driving dynamics. More advanced adaptive dampers are available as part of an optional Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) package.
The Clubsport also comes with a unique drive mode – ‘Special’. This setting gives you the brand’s unique setup for tackling the narrow winding turns, fast straights and banked turns of the Nürburgring.
Uk pricing is yet to be confirmed for the new Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport, which will become available to order later this year.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI holds an Expert Rating of A with a score of 76%, which is several points higher than the more expensive Golf R.
