2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S

Thought the Golf GTI Clubsport was a little slow? Volkswagen have added even more power to the mix, and smashed the Nürburgring record while they were at it. That lap time came in at 7 minutes, 49.21 seconds, making the Clubsport S the fastest front wheel drive production car on record at the ring. No matter how much stock you place on Nürburgring times and the lack of governance, this is certainly the fastest hot hatch Volkswagen have produced yet.

The turbocharged engine has been tweaked to a peak output of 228 kW (305 hp) with 279 Nm of torque available from 1,700 rpm. The new front bumper, rear roof-edge spoiler and rear diffuser help improve the amount of downforce generated, increasing grip and stability. The combination of chassis tuning, suspension setup, improved aero and added power has made the Golf GTI Clubsport S a real track weapon.

“It was obvious to all of us that this GTI had immense potential,” recalls Karsten Schebsdat, Head of Chassis Tuning, “so we decided to get the most performance possible out of this car. A small team went through the entire process, from bottom to top, pretty much like it was back when the first Golf GTI came into being.”