Whether a Golf R Clubsport will actually go into production (and whether we’ll ever get it) is still a mystery.
The Volkswagen Golf’s eighth-generation models have been on sale for a little while now, with U.S. customers strictly getting the performance models. We still have the front-wheel drive GTI, as well as the all-wheel drive, flagship Golf R. The automaker recently revealed the facelifted GTI, as well as a GTI Clubsport model that (sadly) we aren’t getting over here in the States.
Now, though, a more capable Volkswagen Golf R Clubsport could be on the way as well, according to a report by Road & Track.
“There’s another interesting car we are working on at the moment,” said Volkswagen global spokesperson Martin Hube at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. “They are thinking about and working on a Clubsport version of the Golf R.” That’s much more clear-cut than we’re typically used to, but the major caveat here is that VW’s board still has to green-light the project for production. Even if they do, it’s a coin-toss at best whether we’ll actually see it in North America. We aren’t getting the GTI Clubsport, as things stand right now…so don’t hold your breath too long.
Nevertheless, an even hotter Golf R Clubsport is enticing. It will still pack a 2.0-liter turbocharged EA888 engine, though it may wind up producing at least a bit more than the standard car’s 315 horsepower. On top of that, weight reduction and suspension tweaks will undoubtedly make the Clubsport a more appealing track machine.
“This car will be a mule for the future,” Hube also told R&T. “I really hope that we can convince [the Board].” If it does actually happen, though, we could be looking at the quickest and best-driving Golf to ever roll out of Wolfsburg.
While Volkswagen has largely trimmed down the North American Golf offering — and neither the GTI nor Golf R are huge sellers, with both cars adding up to about 9,000 units last year — there’s still fervent enthusiast demand for track-focused cars. We’re still waiting on a new Subaru WRX STI, for crying out loud, so Volkswagen could sneak in with a hot hatch that could absolutely dominate the competition, if it decides to move in that direction.
As I always end up having to say: We’ll see.
