Car review: Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport

Volkswagen celebrates 40 years of the Golf GTI hot hatch with the launch of the near-300 horsepower and aero-enhanced Clubsport version

It started as a stripped-down sporty hatchback in 1976 with the name GTI - expanded to Grand Turismo Injection, when fuel injection was a big thing - but has become a sporting icon after Volkswagen sold more than two million units in the past 40 years. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Volkswagen has slapped a coveted Clubsport badge on one and given it a power upgrade, some aero enhancements, suspension tweaks and aesthetic injections to create the most powerful production GTI yet. Take a closer look at this superlative hot hatch.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS
The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI is in its best form yet - and it is the German manufacturer's most beautiful and sophisticated hatchback to date. It's easy to throw on some alloys, a hood scoop and a freakishly large rear spoiler on a car and call it sporty - but to do it tastefully is something else. And that's exactly what VW has done to the rather domestic-looking 3/5-door Golf. The transformation from a domestic design to a race-bred style begins with its signature honeycomb upper and lower grille, with a red strip that runs from side to side, through both the grille and headlamps - staying true to the original. In the Clubsport, the front bumper, flanked by those gill-like black slats, has been modified to add more down force upfront and narrowing air ducts have been added to direct air to the wheels.
As standard, the Clubsport gets the otherwise optional bi-Xenon lamps that are underlined by squarish LED day-time running lamps that raise the level of visual sophistication. Besides the dual bonnet creases, all GTIs have character lines on the door profiles that extend from the front wheel arch to the rear. The Clubsport gains further distinction, courtesy of black decals along the side sills with the lettering Clubsport. However, a disclaimer states that 'Decals may, especially when exposed to direct sunlight, show signs of usage and ageing after one to three years or in as little as one year in very hot climate zones'.
The slimmer tail lamps of the GTI are accompanied by dual exhaust pipes of a larger diameter in the Clubsport. It gets a rear diffuser and a two-part roof edge spoiler that extends upward above the roof line. At the sides, the spoiler merges homogeneously into the high-gloss black flaps on the tailgate which adds considerable amount of down force. The car's power is transferred to the road via standard 18-inch wheels wrapped with size 225/40 tyres. The exclusive 'Belvedere' forged wheels are 3kg lighter per wheel than a conventional alloy, which reduces vehicle weight and unsprung masses. You can order the optional 19-inch 'Brescia' alloy wheels with size 225/35 tyres or the road-legal 235/35 R 19 semi-slicks on 8-inch wide 'Pretoria' rims. Overall, the Clubsport has a hunkered down stance, thanks to widened side sills and sports suspension that drops ride height by 15 mm.
Like the regular GTI, the Clubsport has retained its Germanic interiors, with a '50 shades of grey' colour scheme and a few splashes of red, which work well. It's a functional cabin that comprises high quality materials and top class 'fit and finish'. The sports seats upholstered in alcantara and signature tartan fabric called 'Clark' have a red and grey checkered look - true to the original Mk1 GTI. The bolsters keep seating snug, helping to counter lateral g-forces occupants are subjected to, as the car rounds corner at speed, while suiting 6ft frames also.
The dashboard is decidedly driver-centric, keeping all controls within reach and line of sight. VW has championed the steering wheel design in the GTI. Its racing heritage shows in the flat-bottom styling; its apt thickness and size makes it a pleasure to steer, exuding a premium quality seen through the red stitching and metal inlays and felt through the alcantara wrapping. There is no need to turn the ignition switch; on the lower centre-console is a starter button that sets off the engine with a light burble. To take some of the austerity off the interior, there are piano black and satin trims, some of which make it to the GTI-specific instrumentation with a justified 280km/h speedo and red needles. The GTI Clubsport is a 5-seater but the rear cabin is not a lavishly spaced one.

POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE
From the way a GTI propels forward, unassuming drivers would think it had a V6 planted over the front axle, but it is only a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder with direct injection. The Clubsport has a similar displacement and configuration, but it is actually a detuned third-generation EA888 engine from the Golf R. The gutsy 4-cylinder makes some 44 more horsepower than the regular GTI, serving up a total of 261 bhp delivered at 6,000 revs and 350 Nm between 1,700-5,300 rpm. For a brief 10 seconds, the Clubsport also makes as much as 286 bhp - that's 10 more than the flagship Golf R's 280 bhp - and 380 Nm of torque. But its brevity makes it like a video game, where you press a button for boost - except, when driving the Clubsport, the power ups aren't apparent.
The Clubsport gets the regular GTI's lightning-quick 6-speed dual-clutch transmission called DSG, which has an electronic algorithm that shifts ratio without loss of power or efficiency. Alternatively, those who'd like to exercise their right hand can opt for the 6-speed manual with the golf ball shift lever.
It's common knowledge that when almost 300 horsepower goes to the front wheels of any car, driving would be a lively affair. At the traffic light grand prix, with launch control mode, the Clubsport races away from a standstill to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds with a lot of tyre chirp and varying power delivery along the rpm range - but it easily betters the regular GTI's 6.5 seconds. There are hints of turbo lag but no dearth of power, and increased downforce on both axles allows you to carry more speed around a corner. Its light mass also allows the driver to switch direction easily - albeit not with the stability of the all-wheel drive Golf R. That puts a lot of driving in the driver's hands. The feel from the electric power steering is precise. Simply point the Clubsport's nose where you wish and the electronic differential, developed on the Scirocco GT race car, will transfer 100 per cent torque to the outer wheel and help you power out of corners almost as well as the all-wheel drive Golf R.
The revised shocks and dampers, and the 10 per cent stiffer spring rates and overall increase in downforce, make it decidedly faster around corners than the regular GTI. But the constant intrusion of traction control due to the lack of grip on the front axle negates some of the fun. Just so you know, this front-wheel drive setup isn't for drifters; such habits go better with the Toyota 86 and Subaru WRX perhaps.
The Clubsport also makes for a good daily driver, soaking most humps and bumps on the tarmac. Its variable ratio rack allows for a two-turn lock to lock, making city drives and parking convenient. There is much to revel in its soundtrack too - a raspy burble conveniently interrupted by arousing and intoxicating crackles. Even with the sound of fuel burning and exhaust gases shooting out, the Clubsport is a suitable form of transportation for a green peace activist with a taste for speed. The hot hatch stays frugal with a claimed fuel economy of 6.9L/100 km and an emission rate of 158g/km CO2.

FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY
The Golf has been synonymous with functionality and its ability to fit five adults in relative comfort is commendable. You get 380 litres of space in the boot - a number that improves with the drop-down of the 60:40 rear seats, allowing the boot to swallow more than a few suitcases. On the entertainment front, the Clubsport gets a modular infotainment system with 8-inch touch screen with a CD player, SD card and aux-in. You get 8-speakers that produces good music but nothing compares to its exhaust note. The Bluetooth option lets you hook up your phone, call people and access your phone book etc.
Besides the ubiquitous safety features like ABS and airbags, the Clubsport comes with auto parking assist and is equipped with a rearview camera that pops out of the VW emblem, giving you a surprisingly wide perspective out the back. You also get Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with autonomous emergency braking system and ISOFIX mounts for child seats. Our apprehension about air-conditioning systems in German cars continues, but the Clubsport surprised us with its consistent cooling. The equipped seat heaters in a country situated near the equator are a big question mark - coolers make more sense!

VERDICT
The 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI is possibly the greatest hot hatch made. It connects man with machine like few others, whilst playing a sonorous exhaust note in the background. It is also an affordable and arguably eco-friendly way to drive in the triple figures. The Clubsport establishes its supremacy over the GTI by simply amplifying all of its dynamic qualities, but the intrusive traction control required for a car with 300 horses powering the front axle and the price hike means that we prefer the GTI as it is - without the Clubsport decals!

FUN FACT
Volkswagen claimed the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record for front-wheel-drive cars when its 306 bhp Golf GTI Clubsport S recorded a time of 7 minutes 49 seconds.

SPECIFICATIONS  
Body type: 5-seater; 3/5-door high-performance hatchback
Engine: Front-engine; turbocharged 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder; front-wheel drive
Transmission: 6-speed DSG (automated manual)
Peak output: 261 bhp @ 6,000 rpm; 286 bhp w/OverBoost; 350 Nm @ 1,700 - 5,300 rpm; 380 Nm w/OverBoost
0 to 100km/h: 5.9 seconds (claimed)
Top speed: 250 km/h (claimed, electronically limited)
Price: Starting from Dh140,434

Good: Engaging drive; practicality of seating and flexible cargo space; fuel economy; build quality; heritage
Bad: Suffers the 'Hatchback' stigma; getting pricier; not a drift machine
Author's rating: 8/10 stars

wknd@khaleejtimes.com

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