The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport is now available to order in the UK, costing from £30,875 and with the first deliveries appearing in the summer.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport is now available to order in the UK, costing from £30,875 and with the first deliveries appearing in the summer. The car was originally revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but we've also had the chance to drive it.
Sitting just underneath the 296bhp, four-wheel drive Golf R, the Clubsport is a rival for the Renaultsport Megane 275and compliments the similarly powered SEAT Leon Cupra- both cars produce 286bhp.
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It's being built to mark the 40th anniversary of the now legendary GTI name, and the hatch which first wore the badge which is in its seventh incarnation. The Golf is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the hot hatch boom in the late seventies and early eighties.
It uses the same 'EA888' turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol unit that's found in the standard GTI and the Leon. Power has been bumped up from 217bhp in the GTI (227 with the Performance Pack) to 261bhp, roughly the same as the base Cupra. An 'overboost' function can boost that up to 286bhp for 10 second bursts of acceleration.
With a torque figure of 350Nm, 0-62mph is dispatched in 5.9 seconds and both three- and five-door models have a 155mph top speed.
At the front the most evident changes are the enlarged honeycomb-style lower air intake, which is now flanked by two trapezoidal air ducts beside more prominent brake cooling vents. The more aggressive look is completed with a meaner front splitter and jutting rear wing, both finished in gloss black, which are said to improve downforce.
The side view and black graphics wrap around the lower edge of the car, while gloss black door mirrors also feature. New 19-inch wheel designs are also available, with 18-inchers standard fitment. A diffuser style bumper and larger diameter exhaust also round off the exterior changes.
Inside there's new tartan bucket seats with red stitching, an Alcantara steering wheel with a red 12 o'clock marking and unique stainless steel sill plates. Red detailed seatbelts and black headlining also help differenciate it from the standard GTI.
Now read our full review of the current Volkswagen Golf GTI...