VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT S

8 July 2016 Redazione News, Tested

7 minutes, 49 seconds and 21 hundredths

by Andrea Balti

I understand them very well! I speak of car manufacturers’ “big bosses”, who now, despite the many rumors and contradictions and the increasingly misinformation that drifts thanks to the Internet monster, keep undeterred to use the Nürburgring as a final test for their sports cars (street legal or not). Indeed, in truth, very often this proving ground is even used for the development of the same and a lap time means much more than a personal goal, since along the 22km of the track, we find virtually all road conditions that may be useful to put a car to the test, as if it were in the real world, but without speed limits or traffic coming from the opposite direction. The new Golf GTI Clubsport S is the last daughter of this philosophy, of this constant need to prove to be the best, and so its 7’49″21 is a record that speaks loud, not only because it represents an exceptional lap time for a front-wheel drive car (thus ousting the various Megane, Leon and the Civic Type R as well), but celebrating the best 40 years of the Golf GTI, the first real hot-hatch, which led pepper and fun in everyday life of every motorist.
We start by saying that it has been all rehearsed, since they will only produce 400 units of this, and the convenience of a classic compact is not reflected in the lack of the rear seats and in its price, which we can safely assume would be more or less the same of the most powerful Golf R . But the Clubsport S celebrates the genesis of fun for everyone, developed and evolved over 40 years, until it had materialized in this seventh generation with 306hp, 380Nm of torque, a good old 6-speed manual gearbox and traction only at front. The engineering will take away all doubts, about the minimum understeer this Golf on steroids has, and the front wheels, despite having a lot of trouble, are able to handle all this power, also because of a new differential and a refined suspension’s calibration. There is much to say, but in this case numbers speak for themselves – the peak torque is virtually available immediately (the engine is obviously a 2.0cc 4-cylinder turbo), and the power will be spread across the torque curve and up to 6500 rpm. This makes the Clubsport S a deadly weapon, which loves to be kept at high revs and that is capable of screaming like crazy without ever asking for a break. The lack of the rear seats has filed the weight and the greater stiffness of the chassis and of the suspensions allow to say the least unthinkable cornering for a car of this segment. It is not only about 1 second and a half faster than the Type R at the ‘Ring, but it’s the way you drive it, which makes everything more grotesque. Yes, grotesque, because we are talking about pure sports cars performance, and instead you’re sitting at the wheel of a seemingly simple Golf.
Redemption, respect and heritage – these are the keywords that VW has in mind, almost a year after the dieselgate, which has not yet given up its pressure on the whole group. The moment you will find yourself flat-out, you will be able to reach 260 per hour, while standing still it takes about 5.8 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 – in this case the only front-wheel drive loses some precious tenth of a second. The interior, in the front area, except for the bucket seats and the steering wheel in Alcantara, is virtually identical to that of any GTI, offering connectivity, air conditioning and the VW’s classical instrumentation. A powerful and generous4-cylinder, but also precise and never extreme, although I barely imagine you in line for a weekend to the seaside – I’m better figuring you biting some curb, trying to put back every other front-wheel drive and some RWD too, around some circuit. This is its ideal home, it was wanted and created for this. For those fateful 7 minutes, 49 seconds and 21 hundredths.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT S (2016-)

Layout   –  front-engined, front wheel drive

Engine  –  4 cylinder 1948cc – turbo

Transmission  –  6-speed manual gearbox

Power  –  306 hp @ 5800-6500 rpm

 380 Nm @ 1850-5700

Weight  – 1300 kg ca.

Acceleration  –  5,8 sec.

Top Speed  – 263 kph

Production  –  400 units