So, this is the fastest front-drive hatch around the Nürburgring?
No. Wrong Golf GTI. You’re understandably thinking of the visually identical Golf GTI Clubsport S, which has 306bhp and the Nürburgring champion of the world belt around its waist. Golf GTIs have got quite confusing lately.
Right…what’s this then?
The regular Clubsport. Since we last drove it at the Portimao circuit in Portugal, VW has tacked ‘Edition 40’ onto its name, signifying four decades of Golfs wearing those three hallowed letters. The mk4, mk5 and mk6 all got respective 25th, 30th and 35th editions, so it’s fitting the current mk7 Golf gets to have its birthday cake and eat it, too.
Now we get to try it on real roads, in Britain. I know, VW’s pictures were taken at a race track. Sorry about that. Just imagine less red and white kerbing and more potholes.
The car looks the same as the Nürburgring-busting Clubsport S…
Indeed. It uses the same functional gills up front for funneling air around the front bumper and out of the wheelarch. There are brake ducts in the honeycomb grille, the split-level rear wing, and wider diffuser, which combine to cleave actual downforce from the atmosphere once you’re above 75mph.
VW doesn’t quote a quantifiable figure, mind you. Not that it’ll help your argument when you’re nicked for speeding. “But officer, I’m actually more stuck to the road than when I was doing seventy…”
What else do I get…or not get?
Unlike the S, the Clubsport does have back seats, and doesn’t have 306bhp. The official rated output of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot is 261bhp, but for ten seconds when in third gear or higher, it’ll overboost to 287bhp.
On paper, that looks a bit contrived, like VW is overcomplicating matters and shortchanging you when Seat’s latest Leon Cupra serves up the full 286bhp whenever you like. And given this Clubsport is a £30,935 car – just £250 less than the all-wheel drive Golf R, no less – well, it’s all in danger of seeming futile. Why bother?
