RE: VW Golf GTI Clubsport S: Driven

[Atmospheric]

CGJ0 said:

The sleeper of dreams

The what?

[Selmer Mk6]

So it is faster than a Civic and a Megane, but does not beat them for driving thrills. where is the progress then? It seems like another faster Golf. I'm not sure it is worth it.

What do we have now:
GTI
GTI PP
GTI Clubsport
GTI Clubsport S
Golf R
Golf ?

[Shambler]

Selmer Mk6 said:

So it is faster than a Civic and a Megane, but does not beat them for driving thrills. where is the progress then? It seems like another faster Golf. I'm not sure it is worth it.

What do we have now:
GTI
GTI PP
GTI Clubsport
GTI Clubsport S
Golf R
Golf ?

Surely we should applaud the fact we get such a choice, not criticise it.

[JoeMarano]

True. But I would be monumentally pissed off if I would have bought a Golf GTi a year or two ago and then found out this was all on offer.

[anonymous-user]

JoeMarano said:

True. But I would be monumentally pissed off if I would have bought a Golf GTi a year or two ago and then found out this was all on offer.

It's just yet another marketing exercise. All the drawbacks of a hatchback with those from a two seater chucked in for good measure. I'd imagine most Golf's are purchased with practicality in mind first and foremost.

[ORD]

Why?

If you want a fun but impractical car, you wouldn't start with a 4 cyl Golf.

[rtz62]

Shambler said:

Selmer Mk6 said:

So it is faster than a Civic and a Megane, but does not beat them for driving thrills. where is the progress then? It seems like another faster Golf. I'm not sure it is worth it.

What do we have now:
GTI
GTI PP
GTI Clubsport
GTI Clubsport S
Golf R
Golf ?

Surely we should applaud the fact we get such a choice, not criticise it.

Think yourselves lucky.
When I was a callow youth in the early 80's (1980's, not 1880's) your choice of Golf was GTI 8v or 16v, and the only way to go faster was to wheel yourself on da an to somewhere like GTi Engineering (Silverstone? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) and have a gas flowed cylinder head, uprated manifold etc. Power increases weren't 'that' great but we're good enough in period. I had an Escort Turbo at the time which was fairly easy to tune but never had the style or class of a GTi 16v, modded or not.....

[R1nur]

Regarding the removal of the back seats - could I refresh peoples memories of how the R26R was received.

Yet today it is a free car (no depreciation).

VW should be applauded for doing something well outside their normal comfort zone and if that does not suit you buy the regular clubsport.

Well done VW.

[JoeMarano]

Can you not just buy the regular clubsport and then "buy the mods" from vw? Problem solved. Or just fit some rear seats. Can't be that hard a job for someone that's got £35k to spend on a hatchback!

[Selmer Mk6]

rtz62 said:

Think yourselves lucky.
When I was a callow youth in the early 80's (1980's, not 1880's) your choice of Golf was GTI 8v or 16v, and the only way to go faster was to wheel yourself on da an to somewhere like GTi Engineering (Silverstone? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) and have a gas flowed cylinder head, uprated manifold etc. Power increases weren't 'that' great but we're good enough in period. I had an Escort Turbo at the time which was fairly easy to tune but never had the style or class of a GTi 16v, modded or not.....

Do these Golfs have the same engine, but in various states of tune?

I suppose if you are going to take your car on track it might make sense. I would hazard a guess that most performance Golf drivers do not.

Oh and I had a Mk2 GTI 16v Oak Metallic Green. One of the best colours back then.

[anonymous-user]

ORD said:

Why?
If you want a fun but impractical car, you wouldn't start with a 4 cyl Golf.

Exactly.

I mean take the dash and passenger seat out as well and fit cut slicks. Look at our amazing 'thing'...what is it...'we don't know, but it's setting good times in it's sector of one'

[K&L]

Agree about the rear seat comment. Whenever a manufacturer turns a 4/5 seat car into a 2 seater track focused special (golf, 911 gt3, M3 CLS etc), it kind of defeats the purpose for me. If you want a track car get a lotus/caterham/ultima/ariel..... and do it right. If you want a car you can use on track and road, then make it practical by including rear seats, or buy a car designed as a 2 seater.
That's what I say!

[Meridius]

rtz62 said:

Think yourselves lucky.
When I was a callow youth in the early 80's (1980's, not 1880's) your choice of Golf was GTI 8v or 16v, and the only way to go faster was to wheel yourself on da an to somewhere like GTi Engineering (Silverstone? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) and have a gas flowed cylinder head, uprated manifold etc. Power increases weren't 'that' great but we're good enough in period. I had an Escort Turbo at the time which was fairly easy to tune but never had the style or class of a GTi 16v, modded or not.....

G60?

Rallye?

[ash reynolds]

Why do VW persist with very heavy front brake calipers and not multi-piston? These calipers look suspiciously like the R32/S3 type from a few years ago. Big single piston jobs.
I would be happy to be told I'm wrong, then I wouldn't have to know that once again the Seat counterpart got the light weight 4 piston calipers from Brembo while VW were raiding a parts bin for left overs. The sub 8 pack on a Leon looks more convincing.

Or even an RS.

Edited by ash reynolds on Wednesday 8th June 23:11

[Ali_T]

RS Grant said:

Pistonheads loves a VAG car... so this thread is probably only going to go one way.


Cheers,
Grant

Pistonheads is owned by Haymarket and Haymarket provide VAG with editorial content and network solutions to dealers.

You may have noticed the massive increase in VAG group advertorials from PH, Autocar and What Car...

Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 9th June 01:10

[Team Muttley]

K&L said: Agree about the rear seat comment. Whenever a manufacturer turns a 4/5 seat car into a 2 seater track focused special (golf, 911 gt3, M3 CLS etc), it kind of defeats the purpose for me. If you want a track car get a lotus/caterham/ultima/ariel..... and do it right. If you want a car you can use on track and road, then make it practical by including rear seats, or buy a car designed as a 2 seater.
That's what I say!

Say what now ???
Last time I checked my M3 CSL (about an hour ago) it had rear seats (they all did from new). They split & fold 60/40 too ... and you should see the size of the boot
Re: the New Golf Clubsport S ... it's thumbs up from me ... although DSG as an option would have been nice as well as the BREMBO front callipers off the SEAT Leon Cupra 280.

[rog007]

Selmer Mk6 said:

rtz62 said:

Think yourselves lucky.
When I was a callow youth in the early 80's (1980's, not 1880's) your choice of Golf was GTI 8v or 16v, and the only way to go faster was to wheel yourself on da an to somewhere like GTi Engineering (Silverstone? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) and have a gas flowed cylinder head, uprated manifold etc. Power increases weren't 'that' great but we're good enough in period. I had an Escort Turbo at the time which was fairly easy to tune but never had the style or class of a GTi 16v, modded or not.....

Do these Golfs have the same engine, but in various states of tune?

I suppose if you are going to take your car on track it might make sense. I would hazard a guess that most performance Golf drivers do not.

Oh and I had a Mk2 GTI 16v Oak Metallic Green. One of the best colours back then.

Snap! (Although mine was the 'Special'; celebrating the 10 millionth Golf). Very cool car indeed! Picked mine up new from VW HQ when it was in Baker Street.

Still think it was more desireable at the time than this version is now.

[MrBarry123]

JoeMarano said:

True. But I would be monumentally pissed off if I would have bought a Golf GTi a year or two ago and then found out this was all on offer.

Why? They cater for a completely different type of buyer.

My mum has had a few Golf GTIs (the last one being a Mk6) in the past but wouldn't be at all interested in this.

[JoeMarano]

I was tempted at a Golf but didn't think It was worth the extra cash so if I had forked out about 27 grand I would be extremely miffed that these much better models (including the R) were around.

[DamianQS]

Are there any records for my S1 around the Ring .I looked at the Golf GTI PP at the time of purchase and actually preferred having a smaller less ubiquitous vehicle .As previously mentioned surely those going for the Golf want performance and practicality so this would be a smaller niche product. I am all for diversity and choice however this could be cart before the horse.