The Volkswagen Golf GTI was the hot hatch when it was launched in 1975. On its 40th anniversary, VW have the Clubsport version of this iconic hatchback
Story: Team Car India
Photography: Newspress
In 1975, with 110 PS to 120 PS of peak power on tap from two engine options, the Volkswagen Golf GTI Mark I was the hot hatch. It redefined the way the world looked at hatchbacks in a manner that has seldom been replicated in the world of cars. Cut to 2015, it’s been 40 years since and to celebrate this milestone in the Golf GTI timeline, Volkswagen have decided to mark the anniversary with a 265 PS Golf GTI Clubsport version of this iconic car. The car will be presented at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show and is slated to be the most powerful production GTI ever made.
Under the bonnet of the GTI Clubsport sits a turbocharged direct-injection engine that, in the anniversary model, delivers an outstanding 265 PS, which is 35 PS more than on the previous ‘most powerful’ Golf GTI. Additionally, the driver can increase the engine’s power output by 10 per cent, raising peak output to 290 PS for a brief ten-second span. This is accomplished by mashing the pedal to the metal.
VW claim that the Golf GTI Clubsport will sprint to 100 km/h in just six seconds with a 6-speed manual gearbox while with the optional 6-speed DSG it is even faster at 5.9 seconds. Top speed for the manual is 250 km/h while the DSG version gets up to 249 km/h. Yet, the engine is surprisingly efficient. At least on paper. With a claimed fuel consumption of 6.9 litres per 100 km (14.5 km/l) the manual gearbox version has a carbon footprint of 160 g/km of CO2 while the DSG equipped car sips 6.7 litres per 100 km (14.9 km/l) and emits 155 g/km of CO2.
