Tuesday 19th July 2016

Golf GTI Clubsport S at the 'ring: Time for Tea?

Can a production Clubsport S hit that infamous lap time with another driver in the seat?

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Perhaps more than any other automotive record, the current Nurburgring lap fascination has the greatest controversy around it. Mainly around whether the cars used by manufacturers are standard, be that in terms of power, tyres or indeed weight.

What's needed is some independent verification of these laps. Fortunately sportauto is at hand with the heroically fast test-driver Christian Gebhardt and what we can only assume is a standard, customer-spec Golf GTI Clubsport S. Yes, the very car that's said to be capable of 7:49.21 around the Nordschleife.

Spoiler alert: this lap isn't a 7:49 lap. We'll let you watch the video to see just how far off it is but, numbers aside, this is still an incredible feat of driving. This is a genuine sub-eight-minute lap of the Nurburgring in a Golf, after all.

What's most remarkable about the lap is the Clubsport's composure. It simply isn't disturbed by bumps, heavy braking or fast changes of direction. There's some tyre squeal here and there, more often than not on corner exit, but the way it carries pace is mesmerising. No doubt helped by Herr Gebhardt and his ability to thrash the nuts off a car.

Finally, you'll notice the start of the video is a lap at Hockenheim. There the Golf records a time of 1:13.1; that's identical to an M3, just as tenth slower than a 360 Challenge Stradale and quicker than Gebhardt in an RS7. Quick car!

Watch the video here.

[Source: Fastestlaps]

[IMI A]

Astonishing pace for a FWD hatchback. Only 150 RHD worldwide. Anyone buying one? Looks the mutts nuts too.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

The video doesn't tell you the lap time

[IMI A]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

The video doesn't tell you the lap time

Its in the caption if you watch it on youtube.

Published on Jun 9, 2016
Supertest VW Golf GTI Clubsport S: Onboard Sport auto-Tester Christian Gebhardt auf der Nordschleife und in Hockenheim. Rundenzeit Nordschleife: 7.56,9 min, Rundenzeit Hockenheim: 1.13,1 min. Mehr in Sport Auto 7/2016

First time I've seen a lap where the film looked speeded up. Its ability through corners is ridiculously fast for a Golf. Get one whilst you can as I have a feeling these may be sold out pretty quickly....

[rtz62]

I have to smiley when I ask, but is it just me?
At every corner, the pilot seems to have his head turned towards the left or right front windows....
Ok, I guess he is taking the swimming/diving approach; wherever the head is pointing, the body will follow. Or do I mean that's what the pilot of an Apache attack helicopter does?

[hughcam]

Its impressive but no doubt a Civic type R would be a good bit quicker on the Cup 2 tyre.

[FN2TypeR]

hughcam said:

Its impressive but no doubt a Civic type R would be a good bit quicker on the Cup 2 tyre.

Hasn't the Civic been round quicker anyway?

[IMI A]

hughcam said:

Its impressive but no doubt a Civic type R would be a good bit quicker on the Cup 2 tyre.

Hmmm maybe but not so far.

http://fastestlaps.com/comparisons/le74zzm10805

[Relax]

I find it interesting that alot of these hatches use a higher spec tyre going really no faster than the civic, I'd feel I had failed in that respect as a engineer/designer.

[epom]

I'll take two please.

[howardhughes]

Don't tell me, 3 mins and 29 seconds...

[havoc]

rtz62 said:

I have to smiley when I ask, but is it just me?
At every corner, the pilot seems to have his head turned towards the left or right front windows....
Ok, I guess he is taking the swimming/diving approach; wherever the head is pointing, the body will follow.

No, you're right that does look odd...either deliberate as part of some sort of NLP-like training, or it's an idiosyncrasy.

And whoever said the video looked speeded up is right - that's some really serious pace around the 'ring there, for anything sub-supercar!

Anyway, my 2p is that, like the R26.R, this is a VERY niche car - a 2-seat FWD trackday* machine**. This is just corporate willy-waving trying to claim one-upmanship.




* Because let's be honest, unless you're regularly doing trackdays, what benefit are you going to get on the road? Even the 1990s Honda Type-Rs, Subaru Type-RA's and Peugeot Rallye's kept the practicality and all-round usability of the donor car, even after the diet and stiffening.

** For £30k and doing lots of trackdays I'd be looking at a 2nd Hand Exige probably. Unless I was so desperately sad I needed the pub bragging rights...

[RacerMike]

I'm always astounded by his bizarre driving position. In all his videos, he's jammed up against the wheel with this legs folded up under the dash and hands practically in his chest.

Edited to add:

Interesting to see that the official car wasn't thaaaaaat heavily tampered with then. I suggest it was running another 25bhp or so to get that 7:49 time, but 7:56 is impressive for a FWD road car. I think a Civic would struggle to do anywhere near that given the power deficit.....

Edited by RacerMike on Wednesday 20th July 13:17

[LaurasOtherHalf]

RacerMike said:

Interesting to see that the official car wasn't thaaaaaat heavily tampered with then. I suggest it was running another 25bhp or so to get that 7:49 time, but 7:56 is impressive for a FWD road car. I think a Civic would struggle to do anywhere near that given the power deficit.....

What power deficit? I thought these were both around 310ps?

I love the trackday hatch ethos (I would I suppose, having owned an R26R) but I feel the VW Clubsport is a little vanilla in the styling dept. Childish I know, but I'd prefer some coloured wheels and lairy graphics.

[giveablondeabone]

I have no interest in this at all. Why remove the one thing that defines a hot hatch (rear seats/practicality)

If you want a track toy then get a track toy.....RWD, lightweight, low slung etc etc

This golf is a bit like buying a ice cream then removing the flake cos that would mean too many calories.....

[Gandahar]

Great video. The angle it is shot at lets you see the driver and the track and makes you feel part of the action, so good work there by sport auto.

Good comments Matt. This Golf does seem to have really composed suspension, for once from a German manufacturer, so looking forward to PH comments on it on UK roads. Those kerbs got mullered...

Christian is more composed than the car though. He rolled his sleeves up early in the video and then here

https://youtu.be/_fFFEuxi2fk?t=521

he rests his arm on his leg flat out before 30 seconds later getting, as Will Smith would say, "Jiggy with it". Not sure if he is wearing a pair of Stefan Roser's slip on's though?

Top driver. No pressure for Dan's next video then ....

Edited by Gandahar on Thursday 21st July 14:45

[3304hl]

I quite like how he casually adjusts his shirt sleeves at around 2:10 at what I imagine to be over a ton...

[Oakman]

Further to Herr Gebhardt's driving style - has anyone else noticed he's keeps resting and waving his right hand around on some funny stick type thing near his right knee ?

Any of you knowledgeable PH'ers out there have a clue what it is he's doing ????