A hotted-up 306bhp Golf GTI Clubsport S special edition has smashed the lap record for a front-wheel drive car at the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife.
More powerful than even the four-wheel drive Golf R, the Clubsport S has been heavily modified underneath to turn into the most track-focused car bearing the Golf name. The Clubsport S will be presented to the public at the Worthersee VW enthusiast event later this week, before going on sale later this year.
Lighter and faster than ever before
The Clubsport S completed a lap of the 12.9 mile Nurburgring circuit in a time of 7 minutes and 49.21 seconds. That’s 1.4 seconds quicker than the previous record for a front-wheel drive car set by the Honda Civic Type R.
Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the Golf GTI Clubsport S takes just 5.8 seconds to sprint from zero to 62mph and can reach a top speed of 165mph. The rear seats are removed to save 30kg, taking the car’s total weight down to just 1,360kg.
Other changes made to create a more agile car include the redesigned front bumpers, plus the installation of a rear diffuser and a large roof spoiler.
The Clubsport S also sports a pair of bucket seats, an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel and a feature called Dynamic Chassis Control. The latter feature allows the driver to configure the steering and suspension settings towards an even more aggressive driving style.
Just 400 examples of the VW Golf GTI Clubsport S are planned to be made, with 150 of these coming to the UK. Pricing for his hot hatch is unconfirmed, but rumours suggest it will command a fee of around £35,000.
