FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: VW Golf GTI Clubsport revealed

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off a production version of its Golf GTI Clubsport ahead of its Frankfurt motor show debut next week.

Originally created as a concept back in May for the VW fan fest that is the Worthesee festival, the Clubsport has been built to celebrate the Golf GTI’s 40th anniversary.

The new production version of the three-door-only hatch is powered by the standard GTI’s EA888 direct-injection TSI 2.0-litre turbo-four, but VW has turned up the wick to 195kW (up from the 169kW the most powerful Golf GTI Performance Pack produces).

For short periods, this power figure swells to a mightier 213kW thanks to the engine’s brief overboost function.

Available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch auto, the Clubsport is significantly quicker than the standard GTI PP, taking just 6.0 seconds to spring from standstill to 100km/h. The DSG version, meanwhile, shaves another tenth off that time, taking just 5.9 seconds.

Both manual and DSG GTI Clubsport models are limited to 250km/h.

To help cope with the increased power, the Clubsport is thought to have retuned, stiffer suspension and more aggressive passive dampers with 18-inch alloy wheels standard and the option of 19-inch rims.

Externally, there’s a new front bumper that incorporates a huge central air intake to feed the more powerful engine. There’s also a subtle front splitter and gloss black blades indicating a tweak to the Golf’s aerodynamics to keep it stable at its higher top speed. At the rear there’s also a new tailgate-mounted spoiler and integrated rear diffuser.

Fuel consumption for the fastest six-speed manual Golf GTI ever (ignoring the ‘R’ models) is 8.4L/100km while CO2 emissions are 155g/km.

Inside, there’s standard, more supportive, sport seats and an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift lever.

To highlight the 40th celebrations the Golf Clubsport also gets a ‘Honeycomb 40’ design trim.

So far it’s not known when the production version will go on sale here, but in the UK prices for the Clubsport are anticipated to start around £27,500 (A$50,500).