WORTHERSEE: VW Golf GTI Clubsport revealed

Volkswagen has revealed its most powerful Golf GTI ever made and it’s set to go on sale early 2016.

Called the Golf GTI Clubsport, the new 195kW three-door concept was created to mark the 40th anniversary of the Golf GTI that was first introduced back in 1976.

Powered by the same EA888 direct-injection TSI 2.0-litre turbo-four already in use in the 162kW GTI and 169KW GTI Performance Pack, the Clubsport concept has had power boosted to 195kW that, for brief bursts only, has an overboost function delivering 214kW for fast overtakes.

Volkswagen has yet to reveal the new torque figure for the Clubsport. Neither has it released the official performance figures but considering the GTI Performance Pack sprints from 0-100km/h in 6.4sec and tops out at 248km/h, the new concept should easily shave as much as 0.5 off the 0-100km/h and increase top speed to around 260km/h.

To help cope with the new power, the Clubsport is said to have retuned stiffer suspension and more aggressive dampers.

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.

Perhaps more exciting for Golf GTI enthusiasts is the word that both the Clubsport’s more powerful engine and styling kit are set to become part of an all-new special-edition model Volkswagen will offer in 2016.

Set to be called the Edition 40, the new special edition is expected to be offered in very limited numbers with both the standard six-speed manual and six-speed dual clutch automatic.

So far it’s not known when, or if, the production version will go on sale here, but in the UK prices for the Edition 40 are anticipated to start around £27,500 (A$50,500.)