This year’s Nürburgring 24-hour race will be the venue for the latest GTI Clubsport.
2024 marks half a century since Volkswagen introduced the iconic Golf hatchback. Fast forward eight generations, and the automaker is bringing out a brand new Golf GTI Clubsport to further celebrate that milestone. The last Clubsport launched in 2021 with the rest of the Mark 8 lineup, and unfortunately it did not make it across the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S. And guess what? This one’s not going to make it either, most likely.
Nevertheless, it’s fun to occasionally look at forbidden fruit we don’t get on our shores, so let’s do that with this Golf.
When it first emerged, the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport managed 296 horsepower from its 2.0-liter turbocharged EA888 engine. This one should be even more potent, as the company claims this is “the most powerful Golf with front-wheel drive”. Now, since it does not say it’s the most powerful Golf ever, that probably means this new Clubsport model packs a bit less power than the 315-horsepower, all-wheel drive Golf R…but that’s still plenty of shove for a front-drive hot hatch. In effect, the probable power bump puts it in close contention with the Honda Civic Type R. For context, the current U.S.-spec Golf GTI manages just 241 horsepower.
Some design tweaks will set this GTI Clubsport apart from the standard GTI, which is also getting a range of updates for the 2025 model year. The Clubsport has a different front fascia, an illuminated Volkswagen badge and bespoke 19-inch Warmenau forged wheels (as an option, at least). This model also gets a special drive mode for taking on the Nordschleife.
In addition to the road car’s debut on May 31, Volkswagen also plans to run a one-off GTI Clubsport in the 24-hour Nürburgring race itself. This particular 2,579-pound car packs 343 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque, and will be driven by Benny Leuchter and Johan Kristoffersson. Three old-school Golf GTIs will also take part in the ADAC 24-hour Classic race, as a nod to the nameplate’s 50-year history.
While we’ll have to wait and see whether Volkswagen has grander plans outside Europe for the GTI Clubsport (don’t hold your breath too long, it’s not healthy for you), we did get a chance to drag race the current Mk8 GTI. You can check that out in the video below:
