Sunday 7th August 2016

Golf GTI Clubsport S sold out!

UK allocation of 150 cars has gone already

---

In one of the less surprising news stories you will read this week, Volkswagen has sold all of the 150 Clubsport S Golf GTIs allocated to the UK. We just can't get enough hot hatches! Remember too that only 400 are being made in total, so that UK share represents a significant chunk of production.

But will any of them be used on track?

Each of the 150 UK customers has paid £33,995 for the car, rather less than was actually predicted. It is, would you believe, cheaper than a three-door Golf Clubsport Edition 40 with the Cup 2 tyres, DCC dampers and 19-inch wheels. That car, with the manual gearbox, would cost £34,155. That's before you consider the limited-edition status, additional power and extensive suspension tuning of the Clubsport S. If ever a £34K Golf could look good value...

Moreover, the Clubsport S appears to have the perfect combination of attributes for residual success: a limited production run, a VW badge and a Nurburgring lap record. Which will surely be music to the ears of the lucky 150. Previous special Golfs without anything like the wholesale changes of the Clubsport S are still in demand, up to and including the £20K Edition 35 and a 25th Anniversary GTI that has sold with a £10,995 price in the advert. For a decent Edition 30 Mk 5 you're looking at £10K as well. In addition, while the Nurburgring-fettled Renaultsport Meganes were always rarer than this Golf will be, the fact that an R26.R is still nearly £20,000 augurs well for the resale value of the Clubsport S. As an indicator of just how far this front-wheel drive Nurburgring record thing has come in the past few years, the Golf is - by the numbers we have - 28 seconds a lap faster than the Megane. Madness.

Clubsport S customers will have had the choice between Tornado Red, Pure White and Deep Black colours, and whether to add in air conditioning as a no-cost option. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in early October - if you're getting one we'd love to hear about it!

 

[Numeric]

I have what I am sure is a silly question- why would you get this over a Golf R which on paper is faster, has 4 wheel drive and is also a Golf for I guess similar money?

I appreciate that many will wonder why I ask but this seems on paper to be a brisk front drive hatch.

And as I love our sub M and highly illogical 135i I would fully understand arguments of character.

[Ved]

Different, rare, lighter, more fun, looks better? Personal taste?

Looks like a nice car for the money and will likely depreciate at a snails pace.

[tankplanker]

Numeric said:

I have what I am sure is a silly question- why would you get this over a Golf R which on paper is faster, has 4 wheel drive and is also a Golf for I guess similar money?

I appreciate that many will wonder why I ask but this seems on paper to be a brisk front drive hatch.

And as I love our sub M and highly illogical 135i I would fully understand arguments of character.

I would guess resale value would be the number one choice for the majority of buyers. Those buying one to actually use it on a track, should find it faster on a dry track as well.

[Dave Hedgehog]

Numeric said:

I have what I am sure is a silly question- why would you get this over a Golf R which on paper is faster, has 4 wheel drive and is also a Golf for I guess similar money?

I appreciate that many will wonder why I ask but this seems on paper to be a brisk front drive hatch.

And as I love our sub M and highly illogical 135i I would fully understand arguments of character.

rarity, possibly an appreciating asset

how many went to actual fans and not speculators?

[Tuvra]

Dave Hedgehog said:

rarity, possibly an appreciating asset

how many went to actual fans and not speculators?

I would guess VERY few. Handful maybe.

[FN2TypeR]

Ved said:

Different, rare, lighter, more fun, looks better? Personal taste?

Looks like a nice car for the money and will likely depreciate at a snails pace.

This. Although being a bit of a Honda man I'd still be taking the Type R if I were going for a new hatch, this Golf seems great though and I'd have considered one over an R had the situation arisen.

I think it's pretty cool, which I don't think any Golf has been for years, tbh.

[Gibbonyc]

I am lucky enough to have a Clubsport S on the way and I can chime in my opinion on this thread. I’ve been running a manual Golf R for the last 14 months. It rides well on its passive dampers, a good ride/handling balance. has a very slick gearbox (contrary to others) and as fast practicle everyday transport, it’s great. But after a while it’s a bit boring. The reduced sound deadening, proper seats, gaping hole in the back where the seats should be and the pop-bangs should add some much needed theatre to every drive. Combine that with the suspension changes, and 200kg weight saving and I can’t wait. Track day to Spa to be booked.

[nickfrog]

Numeric said:

I have what I am sure is a silly question- why would you get this over a Golf R which on paper is faster, has 4 wheel drive and is also a Golf for I guess similar money?

For even occasional track use, a 2 wheel drive car makes more sense because it's inherently lighter. This one also has specific geometry that will lend itself to such use and also might help tyre deg.

I am pretty sure we'll see a few on track days so it doesn't matter how many have been bought by "speculators", it's a free market economy ! The two are not even incompatible!

[Tuvra]

nickfrog said:

I am pretty sure we'll see a few on track days so it doesn't matter how many have been bought by "speculators", it's a free market economy ! The two are not even incompatible!

It does matter when people use their "contacts" to get them over genuine enthusiasts who may not have the same contacts

[mcbook]

Not sure why people think speculators have snapped up a decent proportion of these. What evidence is there to say they'll go up in value? Looking at other Golf special editions they'll probably depreciate more slowly than common models but surely they will still DEPRECIATE as opposed to APPRECIATE.

[mwstewart]

Is the Polo GTi worth a look as a contender to the Golf? The Golf has grown a bit too large for my needs at the moment.

[Tuvra]

mcbook said:

Not sure why people think speculators have snapped up a decent proportion of these. What evidence is there to say they'll go up in value? Looking at other Golf special editions they'll probably depreciate more slowly than common models but surely they will still DEPRECIATE as opposed to APPRECIATE.

What other limited editions Golf's are there? Limited being 150 or less.

There will be one for sale for £40k+ within weeks/days of them being delivered.....

[Buster73]

Tuvra said:

It does matter when people use their "contacts" to get them over genuine enthusiasts who may not have the same contacts

Really ?

I've had numerous VW's from the same dealership including Polo , Golf Tdi , Golf R and Golf Gti 35 edition , all paid for in full , damn bloody right I would expect my contact to help me out if needed than sell such a car to an enthusiast who's never set foot in his dealership.

You sir are living in cloud cuckoo land if you expect otherwise.

[Krikkit]

Gibbonyc said:

I am lucky enough to have a Clubsport S on the way and I can chime in my opinion on this thread. I’ve been running a manual Golf R for the last 14 months. It rides well on its passive dampers, a good ride/handling balance. has a very slick gearbox (contrary to others) and as fast practicle everyday transport, it’s great. But after a while it’s a bit boring. The reduced sound deadening, proper seats, gaping hole in the back where the seats should be and the pop-bangs should add some much needed theatre to every drive. Combine that with the suspension changes, and 200kg weight saving and I can’t wait. Track day to Spa to be booked.

Great stuff - nice to hear from someone who's actually bought one to use!

[ukaskew]

Buster73 said:

I've had numerous VW's from the same dealership including Polo , Golf Tdi , Golf R and Golf Gti 35 edition , all paid for in full , damn bloody right I would expect my contact to help me out if needed than sell such a car to an enthusiast who's never set foot in his dealership.

I think that qualifies you as an 'enthusiast' and is exactly who the car 'should' be going to. I'm assuming he meant people with the financial clout to jump the legitimate queue, although I really don't think that would be an issue with this particular car as it's a long way from a guaranteed appreciating asset, unlike say, a limited 911.

[xjay1337]

I really wanted one. I would have chopped in my Rocco for this.
Didn't even think about it unfortunately. Live and learn. May get a used one, but I reckon residuals will be strong.

[davidcharles]

mwstewart said:

Is the Polo GTi worth a look as a contender to the Golf? The Golf has grown a bit too large for my needs at the moment.

no more polo gti to be mentioned please....or we could be here a while

[mcbook]

Tuvra said:

What other limited editions Golf's are there? Limited being 150 or less.

There will be one for sale for £40k+ within weeks/days of them being delivered.....

Granted, it's the first version with such limited numbers. I suppose we'll find out soon enough but I doubt very much there will be any appreciation in these.

[daveco]

200kg weight saving?!

That is a USP right there, no wonder they all sold so quickly.

I remember EVO magazine getting into a palaver over the 330ci clubsport because they misread the promotional material as a 200kg weight reduction over the standard model, when in fact it was a pointless 20kg

[Tickle]

Numeric said:

I have what I am sure is a silly question- why would you get this over a Golf R which on paper is faster, has 4 wheel drive and is also a Golf for I guess similar money?

I appreciate that many will wonder why I ask but this seems on paper to be a brisk front drive hatch.

And as I love our sub M and highly illogical 135i I would fully understand arguments of character.

Providing the table of numbers on paper does not have lap-times, the R appears to be faster yes.

If considering track times as just another number like 0-60, BHP etc this would suggest the Clubsport S anything but being 'brisk', it beats some very expensive machines round a track.

As said, buyers may of preferred the more focused FWD set up to the R's, rarity, lower depreciation.