Introducing the Mk8 Golf GTI Clubsport, the latest in a long line of hot-hatches to wear Volkswagen’s iconic ‘GTI’ branding.
It becomes the new flagship model of the eighth Golf GTI and sits in between the previous generation’s Clubsport and hardcore, stripped out Clubsport S in terms of its performance. Realistically, it’s more of a direct replacement for the Mk7 TCR than it is for either of the Clubsports.
Like the GTI TCR, it gains power, aggression and sharpness over the standard GTI but not so much that it loses its every day usability, a trait that VW remains proud of.
How much quicker is it than the standard GTI then? Well, the 2.0-litre turbocharged EA888 Evo4 engine has received a hefty power boost. It now puts out 296bhp, up from 242bhp, and 295lb ft of torque, an increase of 23lb ft over the GTI.
Offered exclusively with a seven-speed DSG (slightly disappointing, I know), the Mk8 Golf GTI Clubsport will do 0-62mph in “under six seconds”, go on to a limited 155mph top speed and lap the Nürburgring in 7m 54s, a 13-second improvement over the GTI.
In the grand scheme of things 13 seconds doesn’t sound like a lot but over a single lap, it’s a big difference and it takes more than just power to achieve that. Of course, VW’s engineers knew this and ensured the necessary work was done to improve the car’s handling.
The Golf GTI Clubsport benefits from a 10mm drop in ride height (15mm with the optional Dynamic Chassis Control) and an increased camber angle on the front wheels for a better turn in. Tweaks to the power steering give the Clubsport more feel for a more engaging driving experience.
The brakes have been upgraded to counteract the extra power and VW’s ‘Vehicle Dynamics Manager’ works closely with the sports running gear (brakes, steering and suspension) and a clever electronic locking differential to sharpen up the hot-hatch’s cornering ability.
It gets a new “Nürburgring” driving mode as well. This ramps the power up to the max and speeds up the responsiveness of the steering and DSG transmission. It softens the suspension, too, in order to better handle the Green Hell’s bumps and crests. Useless for pottering around town or your commute down the A1, but very handy on a nice, twisty B-road…
So how can you tell it apart from a standard GTI? There are a few visual tells such as a tweaked honeycomb grille, new front splitter, rear diffuser and wing, all of which also improve downforce. It also gets 18-inch diamond-cut alloys as standard and a twin-exit exhaust system with ovular tailpipes replacing the GTI’s round tips.
Prices haven’t been revealed yet, unfortunately. The standard GTI with the seven-speed DSG starts a touch below £35,000 whilst the Mk7 TCR starts at £38,000. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d expect the Golf GTI Clubsport to be priced slightly above the latter.
What do you think of VW’s latest offering? Enough of an improvement over the standard GTI to warrant the substantial hike in price? Let us know in the comments section below or via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
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