Volkswagen is taking to the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show with the most powerful GTI it has ever made.
We first heard about the GTI Clubsport back in May. It’s still powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-four, but this time, power is rated at 261 horses. That’s down slightly, but it doesn’t quite matter – there’s an overboost function that turns up the wick to 285 HP for 10 seconds.
All told, the GTI Clubsport can sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h in six seconds flat with the six-speed manual transmission. Opt for the six-speed dual-clutch automatic and that sprint is cut down to 5.9 seconds, while top speed is limited to about 250 km/h. To prevent it from stepping on the Golf R’s toes, the GTI Clubsport remains front-wheel-drive.
The Volkswagen GTI Clubsport.
Handout, Volkswagen
Like the concept, the production GTI Clubsport sees a number of visual enhancements. The front fascia, side skirts, rear diffuser, roof spoiler and wheels are all unique compared to the standard GTI. Inside, the GTI Clubsport gains an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and racing bucket seats, as well as trim pieces noting the GTI’s 40th anniversary.
Like the previous special-edition GTIs marking the hot hatch’s anniversaries, Volkswagen won’t offer the Clubsport in North America.
