Volkswagen is expanding its GTI family with the Golf in a way that is otherwise only known from the Porsche 911. If you are a GTI fan and want to have a lot of fun in the mountains, the 300 hp VW Golf GTI Clubsport is a stunner.
The Golf GTI 45 is a completely normal GTI. However, with 221 kW / 300 PS / 400 Nm it has significantly more pepper and the 45 version with its insignia is an optically widely visible exclamation mark in terms of dynamics in the compact class. Who would have thought in the summer of 1976 that the sportiest of all golfers would have such a career? The originally planned 5,000 units of the original GTI became more and more and more. To date, the Golf GTI has sold more than 2.3 million times. No other car can compete in this segment.
Why the VW Golf GTI is so popular becomes more impressive than ever after a few days of continuous use in the 4.30 meter long Clubsport 45. Because with all its sportiness, excellent driving performance and lots of power, the exclusive 45 GTI is first and foremost one thing: a Golf with lots of strengths and far too few weaknesses. Of course, there is an excellent arguing about whether the current and therefore eighth generation of the Golf does not look a bit too lovely and nice from the start. The predecessor was sharper, more pithy and probably also more chic. And of course the interior is more modern, but not as great as before in terms of operation. Especially because the operation of navigation and entertainment always takes time out. That shouldn’t happen with a new compact model with undisguised premium claims.
But the rest is great and big. Even if the VW Golf GTI Clubsport 45 should primarily attract die-hard Volkswagen and GTI fans, because the 40 kW / 55 PS additional power is not needed for more than dynamic progress. The standard GTI is simply too good, too fast and too ambitious for that. The response to the throttle response is tremendous, the steering precision is impressive and if it weren’t for the noticeable driving forces that only the all-wheel drive Golf R can transfer, the performance on the winding mountain roads in South Tyrol and Trentino would be almost perfect. You can also switch manually once and give the sharpened GTI a little more spurs with the gearshift pedals on the handlebars – once the tires are warm, there is almost no stopping them.
What always excites in a Golf GTI is the sportiness, which hardly comes at the expense of everyday use. The GTI can always be fast, especially as a Clubport 45 weighing just under 1.5 tons, but it can also be more restrained with a lot of long-distance qualities. The energetic Wolfsburg man simply pushes away a nocturnal motorway passage from Munich to Bolzano and further in the direction of Madonna di Campiglio and does not allow himself to be thrown off the track by the continuous rain despite the sports tires. In contrast to the standard GTI, the club sport is not cordoned off at 250 km / h and runs over 270 km / h. From a standing start it can be accelerated in under six seconds if desired. The consumption in the practical test. Almost 9.5 liters of super.
With the VW Golf GTI Clubsport 45, the Wolfsburg-based company is writing another chapter in the extraordinary GTI versions. The first Golf GTI Clubsport came onto the market in 2016 for the 40th birthday of the cult athlete. It developed 195 kW / 265 PS and in a boost function for a short time 213 kW / 290 PS. In the same year, the Golf GTI Clubsport S increased it again with a permanent maximum output of 228 kW / 310 PS.
Is it worth indulging in the Golf GTI Clubsport 45, which costs at least 47,245 euros and costs around 9,000 euros more than the standard GTI with seven-speed double clutch? Everyone should know that for themselves, because the gain that the 45 package brings is manageable in everyday use and the 55 more horses can only be felt when driving in a very sporty manner. The all-wheel drive Golf R for 49,400 euros is probably the better choice, because it brings the performance to the road even better than the front axle differential lock of the GTI Clubsport. With its enlarged air inlets, the large roof spoiler and the sonorous, babbling sports cancellation system from Akrapovic, the 45er is more for the collector who simply wants to move a GTI with that certain something.
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
