If you look at the typical Golf-timeline, you'll know that after the release of a Golf GTI, there's always faster versions on the horizon.
Volkswagen has skipped the Performance-version this time. Instead, they've immediately moved on to the GTI Clubsport.
Around five years ago, I first drove the GTI Clubsport on the circuit of Portimao, and it was soon made clear to me that it was more than...
an even more powerful Golf with a wide rear spoiler. Today, I'm driving the Clubsport-version of the Golf VIII. Let's find out how that holds up.
Well, for starters, you can't really tell it's a Clubsport. You really have to be an expert to know this is a Clubsport,
because there's no badge, no label, no special stitching. Nothing. Only the letters GTI are found on the back.
Anyway, the expert will know better, and he will also know that this Clubsport produces 300 horsepower. That's 55 more than the regular GTI.
That's a lot. The previous Clubsport produced 290 horsepower, but it only did so when in overboost. Most of the time, it...
produced 265 horsepower, but for ten seconds it would produce those 290 horsepower in overboost.
This however, always produces 300 horsepower.
300 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. That's 30 Nm more than the regular GTI. It's powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder,
connected to a 7-speed DSG-automatic. It's not available with a manual gearbox yet, because they might release a Clubsport S.
The one without a rear seat. However, that's very unlikely. If we compare this to the previous Clubsport, it's quite a bit heavier.
I don't know the exact amount, but I believe it's around 100 or even 150 kg heavier.
And to compensate that weight, I've got an additional passenger on board. Luckily, that's not a 'real' person, because that would only add to...
the weight. Instead, it's the Vehicle Dynamics Manager. It sounds like a job title at a car dealer, but in this case, you can't see him.
He is present though. The Vehicle Dynamics Manager is a network of driving aids, which are all connected. That's not new, but what is new...
for this Clubsport and for Volkswagen, is that the limited-slip differential is now incorporated in that Vehicle Dynamics Manager.
That way, it all works very smoothly together to improve the driving dynamics.
But what does that mean? Well, improving driving dynamics means a sharper front end, less understeer, sharper handling,
because the additional weight has to be compensated. It can't be slower than the previous Clubsport.
The idea is that you can take more speed into the corner, and that you're able to exit that same corner with more grip and speed.
And to test something like that, having a sunny day on the circuit of Portimao would be great. However, we're not there right now.
Instead, it's a nice but cold December-day in the Netherlands. The tarmac is wet and this car has winter tires.
So we're dealing slightly different circumstances here than when I drove it on the circuit of Portimao. But let's find out how it does anyway.
And we're starting with the engine. We already know the 2.0-litre turbo from Volkswagen, which has been upgraded again.
It now produces 300 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, which are very serious numbers. It sounds very growly as well.
I've put it in Sport-mode now, but there are others to choose from. You even have a Spezial-mode, which sets it up for a quick lap of...
the Nürburgring. Choosing your driving mode is incredibly difficult with this small button over here. That could be done quicker if you ask me.
Anyway, I'm in Sport-mode now and...
It's quicker than you'd think. Just above 2.000 RPM it really starts going fast. And the 7-speed DSG-gearbox helps as well.
It's really quick. But like I said, you almost don't notice that. And that's the strong suit of the Golf, it'll never become incredibly wild,
but at the same time... This is a nice corner, so you can really feel the limited-slip differential in action.
It glides around a little, because there isn't a lot of grip now, but the traction is nicely divided across the front wheels.
And because of that, you can really floor it whilst the LSD holds everything together.
That's pretty impressive.
The Clubsport has progressive steering, which means the steering becomes sharper the further you steer it. It remains more neutral around the middle.
It works really well. Very subtle, not nervous in any way. You'll always feel like you're in control. A Golf will never surprise you.
A Golf is a Golf and it's like that with a reason. It never goes wild. Even the GTI, or the GTI Clubsport.
They'll never be like a Renault Megane RS, or a Honda Civic Type R. Those are very nervous hot hatches. This is also very hot,
but not as nervous. And that makes it much more usable for everyday driving. I remember a Clubsport-roadtest by my colleague Sandor,
in a very beautiful country. He didn't like the flappy paddles behind the steering wheel. Of course, since he's a racing driver,
so he wants everything as optimal as possible, but he didn't like the size and the placement of the flappy paddles in the Clubsport.
Unfortunately for him, they didn't listen to him. This still has almost pathetic flappy paddles behind the steering wheel.
You can tap them and you're in a different gear, but it's a very sporty car, so bigger flappy paddles wouldn't have looked bad.
That way, you feel more like you're in control rather than the DSG. It all works very well, but for the sporty experience, it wouldn't...
have been a bad choice to make it more racier.
It's banging a little in the exhausts. Not a lot, it remains relatively dignified, but you can still hear it on the outside.
Volkswagen says that this Clubsport is thirteen seconds quicker around the Nürburgring than a regular GTI. I think that's not that big of a deal,
considering a lap of the Nürburgring takes around eight minutes. But the big question is, is this Clubsport worth the additional price?
I would love to answer that question for you, but Volkswagen hasn't priced this car yet. Better yet, they haven't even decided if they're...
going to sell this car in the Netherlands. Suppose they will sell it over here, you should think of an additional price of around €8.000...
relative to the regular GTI. For that price, you've got the same allround qualities of the regular GTI, but it will be sharper and faster as well.
If you can't wait and if you want more power, be patient. There's going to be a Golf R as well, which has 320 horsepower and it will be coming...
to the Netherlands.