We might not like to admit it, but we’re pretty spoiled as car enthusiasts. We live in a world where 500-horsepower Ford Mustangs and 300-hp Toyota Corolla hatchbacks exist, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport has no trouble conquering the German Autobahn.
Volkswagen doesn’t offer the Clubsport in the US, which sits between the standard GTI and the always-hot Golf R. It makes a bit less power than its big brother, pumping out 300 horses and 309 pound-feet (420 Newton-meters) of torque through its front wheels from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It’s enough power to propel the hatchback to 62 miles per hour in a respectable 5.4 seconds.
The Clubsport easily reaches its rated top speed of 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour). One run down the Autobahn sees the speedometer exceed that speed, hitting 165 mph (267 kph), but the GPS-based reading on the driver’s phone never broke the 155-mph mark. The family friendly hatchback looks planted and poised at maximum velocity – almost serene.
VW outfits the model with an upgraded Vehicle Dynamics Manager, optional adaptive shocks, a lowered suspension, and an increased positive camber on the front axle. Engineers also tweaked the steering feel.
Volkswagen recently updated the Golf GTI, giving it more power in Europe, so the Clubsport might also get an upgrade. The automaker is already teasing the refreshed Golf R that breaks cover sometime this summer, and we hope the 315-hp output ticks upward.