Friday 24th May

VW readies new Golf GTI Clubsport for N24 debut

Most powerful front-drive Golf set to launch next week

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Nice cars, the Golf GTIs Clubsports. Nicer to look at, nicer to drive, and nicer to be in than a regular GTI thanks to extra power. Throw in some subtle chassis upgrades and a set of snazzy seats, and it's no surprise they've been the fast Golf choice since their introduction for the Mk7. No more demanding to live with than a standard GTI, more interesting to drive than an R - win-win. 

So there’s some cautious optimism around the 8.5, especially as the Mk8 Clubsport was a decent hot hatch undermined by a rubbish interior. To be unveiled ahead of the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring next Friday, its maker says the new uber Golf will boast the most power yet offered in a front-wheel drive GTI.

Knowing VW it probably won’t be a huge gain (because it couldn’t be more potent than an R), though somewhere in the region of 300hp seems about right - or maybe more slightly than that if the Mk8 is finally permitted to overshadow the old 310hp Clubsport S. Interestingly, the manufacturer is racing a Golf GTI Clubsport 24h at the Nordschleife next weekend, complete with 348hp. But they wouldn’t go that big for the road - would they?

There’ll be more than just power to entice Golf fans, too, as this GTI will get a ‘completely redesigned’ front end to mark it out from standard as well as new 19-inch Queenstown wheels said to evoke the old Detroit rims seen on the Mk5. There’s going to be a forged option wheel for the first time, too, which is pretty cool for a Golf GTI: the 19-inch Warmenau rims apparently weigh just eight kilos each. New lights and that refreshed interior - including ChatGPT, yes - bring the showroom zhush. 

A Special drive mode designed for the Nordschleife that always sounded like nonsense (but actually worked quite well on a B road) is again going to be standard fit, though as per annoying tradition the DCC dampers it tweaks are optional. (Brilliant.) The diff lock will do its best to marshall the uprated output to the front tyres, and the Clubsport gets a ‘modified lateral dynamics setup’ for the onboard Vehicle Dynamics Manager.

So it’s going to be a big weekend for VW at the Nurburgring next weekend. As well as the reveal of the most powerful front-drive production Golf and a new race car, there’s going to be three Mk1s taking place in the 24-hour itself. Quite the way to mark a 50th birthday. Expect more on the Clubsport - including just what that power output is - on May 31st. 

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• Focus ST Track Pack vs. Civic Type R vs. Golf GTI Clubsport
• First electric VW GTI revealed at IAA

 

[Twinair]

Thick end of 350 brake in a Golf, should be plenty ‘eh?

[119]

Would like to see how it’s going to get all that throihh the front wheels.

I thought they put 4WD on the r to help traction?

[aka_kerrly]

I like the Clubsport concept of being lighter a bit tighter and more driver focussed whilst sticking to fwd.

However, much like with Porsche , having less parts but higher quality comes at quite a significant cost!!

119 said:

Would like to see how it’s going to get all that throihh the front wheels.

I thought they put 4WD on the r to help traction?

Jeez this over and over again, a throttle is not an on/off switch it is certainly possible to deal with 350hp and considerably more in fwd if you moderate your inputs.

It's no different to saying how can you drive a 350hp rwd car without spinning it .... better driving, or more often than not relying on advanced tyres and very clever traction control systems.

[119]

aka_kerrly said:

I like the Clubsport concept of being lighter a bit tighter and more driver focussed whilst sticking to fwd.

However, much like with Porsche , having less parts but higher quality comes at quite a significant cost!!

119 said:

Would like to see how it’s going to get all that throihh the front wheels.

I thought they put 4WD on the r to help traction?

Jeez this over and over again, a throttle is not an on/off switch it is certainly possible to deal with 350hp and considerably more in fwd if you moderate your inputs.

It's no different to saying how can you drive a 350hp rwd car without spinning it .... better driving, or more often than not relying on advanced tyres and very clever traction control systems.

No I get that absolutely. But I would think pressing on would keep traction control busy?

I don’t know as I have never driven one!

[GTRene]

I sort of like the wrap on those...

btw, I like this one of those 3 best, old, smal-ish, cool? hm.



love the wheels incl their color.

[gary-tznge]

Yawnnnn !!,,, another Golf that looks the same as every other Golf VW has released in the last ten years.

[nismo48]

Another iteration of a very solid performer.
Price is probably North of £50k

[aka_kerrly]

gary-tznge said:

Yawnnnn !!,,, another Golf that looks the same as every other Golf VW has released in the last ten years.

Your post will make a lot of people yawn too, I assume you say the same about a Porsche 911

[Dombilano]

aka_kerrly said:

I like the Clubsport concept of being lighter a bit tighter and more driver focussed whilst sticking to fwd.

However, much like with Porsche , having less parts but higher quality comes at quite a significant cost!!

119 said:

Would like to see how it’s going to get all that throihh the front wheels.

I thought they put 4WD on the r to help traction?

Jeez this over and over again, a throttle is not an on/off switch it is certainly possible to deal with 350hp and considerably more in fwd if you moderate your inputs.

It's no different to saying how can you drive a 350hp rwd car without spinning it .... better driving, or more often than not relying on advanced tyres and very clever traction control systems.

Yes, but 350hp in a rear drive car is manageable because the driven wheels aren't also steering the thing, no matter how clever the diff or traction systems are, at full throttle even in a straight line the Golf would be wayward

[Olivera]

Very much enjoying my Mk8 GTI Clubsport, so interested to see what this brings. Expecting it to be 45-50k+ however.

[aka_kerrly]

Dombilano said:

Yes, but 350hp in a rear drive car is manageable because the driven wheels aren't also steering the thing, no matter how clever the diff or traction systems are, at full throttle even in a straight line the Golf would be wayward

Yes in 1st and 2nd gear perhaps, I appreciate that the front wheels have an easier life on a RWD car but the driven wheels can still break away just as easily, lets be honest the vast majority of peoples natural instincts/reactions are a lot better at dealing with front wheel torque steer than oversteer.

For a large number of people being able to jump in this kind of Golf and experience its power will be incredible fun in a wide variety of conditions more so than for example an older generation rwd BMW M140i with similar power. You can spend two minutes on PH to see how many topics there are about the wiggly jiggly feeling BMWs that don't inspire much confidence in mildly moist conditions and the recommendations are always spend money on better suspension components, LSD, wheels+tyres etc etc which the Golf comes with from the factory.

[CG2020UK]

Loved my poverty spec manual Golf GTI MK7.

Really hope this final petrol GTI gets the send off it deserves by VW.

There is the potential for the pinnacle hot hatch in there if VW really wants it.

[Maxym]

Nah, not for me. 7.0 or 7.5 were peak Golf GTI.

[Terminator X]

Yowzers!

'/>

TX.

[620S]

When you see how neat the Mk1 is it reminds you how big and bloated the Golf has become.

[IMI A]

I've done quite a few miles in Mk 7 GTI PP, Mk 7 GTI CS S and Mk 8 R.

If I was buying a Golf today I'd personally find a very low miles Mk 7 or 7.5 GTI. Would not need to be a clubsport the ride too fidgety on UK roads compared to vanilla GTI. The only thing I'd want is the performance pack which gives you the trick front diff and also adaptive damping.

Mk 8 R user interface and the interior is crap, its overly laggy unless in sport mode where MPG falls to 22mpg, the trick rear diff very noisy, and the dash has a rattle since new. On the 8.5 they really need to improve the build quality and also upgrade the interior its a disgrace on a £40k-£50k R or GTI. If it has to be a new Golf with hindsight I'd pick the vanilla GTI over the R.

[fantheman80]

Dombilano said:

Yes, but 350hp in a rear drive car is manageable because the driven wheels aren't also steering the thing, no matter how clever the diff or traction systems are, at full throttle even in a straight line the Golf would be wayward

The oem wizardry with diffs, TC and geo set up on fwd cars these days is such many of us have modded 400bhp fwd hatches putting power down very nicely with not much fuss, Obviously it’s a scrabble in the wet until up to speed but your tails would be wagging as well. This golf with 340 (don’t think it will btw) would piss it

[cobra kid]

620S said:

When you see how neat the Mk1 is it reminds you how big and bloated the Golf has become.

How big CARS have become.

[Jamescrs]

Maxym said:

Nah, not for me. 7.0 or 7.5 were peak Golf GTI.

I tend to agree with that, still interested to see what the 8.5 brings, if they bring back some proper switches and control knobs it could be an interesting car

[RacerMike]

119 said:

aka_kerrly said:

I like the Clubsport concept of being lighter a bit tighter and more driver focussed whilst sticking to fwd.

However, much like with Porsche , having less parts but higher quality comes at quite a significant cost!!

119 said:

Would like to see how it’s going to get all that throihh the front wheels.

I thought they put 4WD on the r to help traction?

Jeez this over and over again, a throttle is not an on/off switch it is certainly possible to deal with 350hp and considerably more in fwd if you moderate your inputs.

It's no different to saying how can you drive a 350hp rwd car without spinning it .... better driving, or more often than not relying on advanced tyres and very clever traction control systems.

No I get that absolutely. But I would think pressing on would keep traction control busy?

I don’t know as I have never driven one!

My Focus ST Mk4.5 has 330hp and 520Nm torque through the front wheels, and with it's electrically controlled locking front diff it really doesn't struggle as much as you might think. Key thing is bush stiffness and avoiding axle tramp which VWs in the past have been terrible for, but north of 300hp through the front wheels isn't as wild as it once was due to better front suspension geometries, stronger bearings, better tyres and better wheel control.