The wraps have been freshly taken off the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport in Europe which promises to be a hotter alternative to the standard Volkswagen Golf Mk8 GTI. The GTI Clubsport will offer a more powerful engine than the standard GTI, along with improved handling traits to make it appeal to those after an even hotter versions of Volkswagen’s legendary hot hatch, very much like the current Golf GTI TCR.
The GTI Clubsport is powered the Volkswagen Group’s almost ubiquitous 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 221kW of power and 400Nm of torque in this tune. With the standard GTI producing 180kW, the Clubsport offers around 23 per cent more power. Power is sent exclusively to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and a trick electronically controlled limited slip differential. Expect the GTI Clubsport to hit 100km/h from standstill in just 5.9 seconds, easily beating the standard GTI’s sprint time to 100km/h of 6.3 seconds.
Volkswagen’s engineers have also tinkered with the GTI Clubsport’s suspension. The new model sits 15mm lower than the standard GTI, with an emphasis being placed on aggressive wheel camber on the front axle to increase cornering speeds. Other suspension tweaks include new suspension top mounts and an upgraded electronically controlled differential which is now fully integrated with the car’s Vehicle Dynamics Manager system. This allows the driver to fine tune the GTI Clubsport’s feel through the many drive modes on offer, including a new Special mode designed specifically for the Nurburgring.
Volkswagen believes that the understeer typical found in front-wheel drive vehicles is not existent in the GTI Clubsport, with the car having “neutral handling even when driven through the demanding corners and hairpins of the Nürburgring Nordschleife at extreme speeds”.
Inside, the GTI Clubsport also sees some changes over the regular GTI with sporty microfleece fabric. Externally, the changes include a new front spoiler, finished in matte black to match the grille and well as a new rear spoiler as well.
Sadly, whilst Volkswagen has confirmed that the GTI Clubsport might not be making the trek to Australia, the German giant’s Australian arm has historically offered special editions of the Golf GTI. With the regular Golf GTI arriving in the first half of next year, Volkswagen enthusiasts will have to wait a bit longer before any special edition models arrive.
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