Volkswagen reveals GTI Clubsport for eighth-gen Golf

Thursday, 15 October 2020

The Volkswagen Golf is 45 years old - here are the first seven generations, in silver.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI has always enjoyed dedicated enthusiast fandom and there looks to be plenty to keep the hot-hatch excitement bubbling as the Mk8 Golf family emerges.

Just announced in Europe is a Golf GTI Clubsport model. A quick glance at the specifications signal it’s a front-wheel-drive Golf GTI that packs the high-output performance usually reserved for the all-wheel-drive Golf R.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine gains a power increase to 221kW - compared to 180kW for the standard Golf GTI – while peak torque rises slightly to 400Nm (from 370Nm).

The Clubsport will sit above the GTI in the Golf hierarchy but it looks like it will leave room for an even more powerful R model.

The GTI Clubsport model will be built exclusively with a seven-speed dual clutch DSG transmission. It’s expected to dip under 6secs for the 0-100km/h sprint.

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The changes are reminiscent of the Golf GTI TCR we tested recently but with the power dialled up even more.

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Inside the Clubsport are plenty of red accents to denote the extra performance as well as seats that cradle the front passengers more.

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Beyond the under-bonnet performance upgrade the Clubsport features a specific honeycomb wide mesh grille, red and black exterior trim detailing and two round exhaust outlets incorporated into a diffuser-style rear treatment.

It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels with a 19-inch option available.

The suspension has been modified with a 15mm lower ride height than a standard GTI and changes to the front camber settings and electric power steering calibration. Adaptive damping is available as an option.

Among the features of the Clubsport is a specific drive mode calibrated for the demanding Nurburgring that is additional to the Eco, Comfort and Sport modes. On that, Volkswagen claims the GTI Clubsport is 13secs quicker around the 20.8km Nurburgring than a standard GTI.

The Clubsport branding was previously used on a limited edition seventh generation GTI which was built in a run of just 400 units. Volkswagen says there are no plans to restrict the production numbers for the Mk8 Clubsport.

The New Zealand debut of the eighth generation Volkswagen Golf in its mainstream versions is now slated for tee-off in the first quarter of 2021 – slightly later than initially planned due to Covid-19 disruption to production.