In 2016, Volkswagen celebrated the 40th anniversary of its iconic hot hatch by releasing the first GTI Clubsport-spec Golf, taking the tuner-friendly model, and bestowing it with a host of performance upgrades. And after several other successful iterations of the GTI Clubsport, the German automaker has now revealed the most powerful version of the latest generation of the GTI with the 2021 Golf Mk8 GTI Clubsport.
At the heart of the hot hatch is a turbocharged 2.0 four-cylinder engine that’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and pumps out 296hp and 295ft-lbs of torque—a 54hp and 22ft-lb boost over the standard GTI. Electronically limited to a top speed of 155mph, the Mk8 rides on 18” alloy wheels at a 0.59” lower ride height, making the most of the new model’s front spoiler. There’s also a new front fascia and grille arrangement, a bigger rear wing, an oval exhaust setup, and numerous drive modes, including a sport mode, and a configuration tuned specifically for use on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. Performance is further bolstered through an upgraded Vehicle Dynamics Manager, improved braking hardware, and numerous suspension tweaks including new adaptive shocks. For more information, you can check out the full press release linked below.
