That's a very smart brief, but an extra €2,500 for the 'sports pack' sounds a bit strong.

 

Was watching that couple of days ago. It's that video that makes me want to have a silver car (possibly) even though I always hated that colour.

 

 

That's a very smart brief, but an extra €2,500 for the 'sports pack' sounds a bit strong.

 

Quite the opposite. The massive 4-piston 370mm brembo kit (also found on TT-RS) costs almost double that money new. Plus with the performance pack you are getting the best looking alloys for the car (lightweight ones) which are also especially designed to clear the upgraded calipers. Meaning that If you later decide to upgrade the brakes yourself, you are looking at ~3.5-4K for the brake kit PLUS new wheels to clear them (800-1000eur). It's actually a bargain. Makes the car significantly more capabe on track at a fraction of the cost. The Golf R or S3 don't even offer this upgrade      Goes to show where each one of them is targeted I guess.

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by newbie69

I really can not fathom what VW are playing at with the Golf GTI Clubsport and the Turbo Boost (push to pass if needs must and you are up the Jacksy of a Cupra, might or might not work)

to give it near the power the Seat Leon Cupra 290 gets when you want to push the accelerator down as often as you might want to.

The Seat seems just a bargain all round in comparison.

I do like the 18" wheels that they do for the Clubsport.

EDIT.

Doh just watched the EVO Video on the GTI Clubsport, they are 19's,

it is Option wheels for the Focus RS i liked.

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Quite the opposite. The massive 4-piston 370mm brembo kit (also found on TT-RS) costs almost double that money new. Plus with the performance pack you are getting the best looking alloys for the car (lightweight ones) which are also especially designed to clear the upgraded calipers. Meaning that If you later decide to upgrade the brakes yourself, you are looking at ~3.5-4K for the brake kit PLUS new wheels to clear them (800-1000eur). It's actually a bargain. Makes the car significantly more capabe on track at a fraction of the cost. The Golf R or S3 don't even offer this upgrade Goes to show where each one of them is targeted I guess.

Fair play! I wasnt't quite sure what you got - it now sounds VFM!

I really can not fathom what VW are playing at with the Golf GTI Clubsport and the Turbo Boost (push to pass if needs must and you are up the Jacksy of a Cupra, might or might not work)

to give it near the power the Seat Leon Cupra 290 gets when you want to push the accelerator down as often as you might want to.

The Seat seems just a bargain all round in comparison.

I do like the 18" wheels that they do for the Clubsport.

EDIT.

Doh just watched the EVO Video on the GTI Clubsport, they are 19's,

it is Option wheels for the Focus RS i liked.

 

Maybe a Golf with the stock Cupra power for anyone that doesn't need 4wd for the road and doesn't want it to slow him down on track as opposed to the E-VAQ electronically controlled diff that actually helps you go quicker, just a thought...

I really can not fathom what VW are playing at with the Golf GTI Clubsport and the Turbo Boost (push to pass if needs must and you are up the Jacksy of a Cupra, might or might not work)

to give it near the power the Seat Leon Cupra 290 gets when you want to push the accelerator down as often as you might want to.

The Seat seems just a bargain all round in comparison.

I do like the 18" wheels that they do for the Clubsport.

EDIT.

Doh just watched the EVO Video on the GTI Clubsport, they are 19's,

it is Option wheels for the Focus RS i liked.

It's only Special Anniversary model! (1000 off approx) God knows what they are doing - overpriced aswell.

Not seen a time yet for a VW Golf GTI Clubsport around The Ring, pre-production or the version that is going on sale,

but looking forward to seeing how it compares to Hatch or ST Leon times.

 

EDIT.  PS

From July 2015

http://bridgetogantry.com/vw-golf-gti-clubsport-nearly-ready-for-production

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

It just hit me that the Clubsport might actually be a serious alternative to the Cupra??? I think we might have a new contestant here.

 

- Base price seems very good (same as GTI actually over here)

 

- Manages to stand out from the rest of the Golf both inside and outside. Has the extra sport touches that the R seriously misses: lovely buckets and steering wheel, and I much prefer the front of the GTI/Clubsport to the R which seems identical to a 1.2 TSI R-line.

 

From the two reviews I've read so far, it seems to approach dynamically the Cupra:

 

 

Only minus is you still don't get any brake upgrade options (might just have to live with that)

 

Now if I can confirm from a tuner that it has the same revised (reinforced pistons etc.) EA888 engine in the R/Cupra/S3 that gets mapped to circa 360-370bhp with a stage 1 I am seriously considering it primarily because I like the looks of it and it will certainly offer better residuals than the Cupra. The fact only a few are being built will help also towards that I feel.

 

Hmm....

It's only Special Anniversary model! (1000 off approx) God knows what they are doing - overpriced aswell.

It's too close to the R pricewise, it's only FWD & it looks boy-racer, but it will have a following.....

 

As drivers car / track day toy, it might/ might not be better than a Leon Cupra, but it will have

better residuals, &  be a much nicer car to live with in the real world.

 

FWIW I still can't get past the Leon's dull / bland / grey cockpit, it's not a place I'd like to spend

much time in. 

 

DC

It's too close to the R pricewise, it's only FWD & it looks boy-racer, but it will have a following.....

 

As drivers car / track day toy, it might/ might not be better than a Leon Cupra, but it will have

better residuals, &  be a much nicer car to live with in the real world.

 

FWIW I still can't get past the Leon's dull / bland / grey cockpit, it's not a place I'd like to spend

much time in. 

 

DC

 

No it's not in Sweden. It is actually very wisely priced to pose some real competition to the R, and well, makes the GTI pointless over here. There are quite some differences between the UK and Swedish market as I've discovered lately. But even if it was sold at the exact same price as the R, for those that are looking for the most driver's Golf it seems the Clubsport is the way to go. Will probably be faster around a track as well. And there is no power deficit, that 265/290 overboost silliness is just marketing tricks to ensure internal order. Clubsport/R/Cupra/S3 they use the exact same engines, and when mapped they end up right at the same spot (not the ordinary GTI/ Octavia vRS though, these have the "normal" EA888 version)

 

Things that I've noted in the last couple of hours while reading/watching reviews: 

 

(As I suspected) the boot, with no 4wd controller below, is identical to the Cupra at 380lt (vs 343 on the R)      One of the main reasons I ditched the R in the first place.

 

Dynamics wise, seems the Clubsport has closed the gap to a noticeable extent between a GTI/R and the Cupra, although the Spaniard is still more capable on track.

 

These sport touches both inside and outside might just be what's needed to shift the balance away from the Cupra. A mass-production Golf can never look boy-racer in my eyes I'm sorry, it's still serious and conservative BUT, I think the CS is JUST as aggressive as a really special sports Golf should be. Ok I understand the rear wing is not to everybody's taste but it's tiny really, and you've got to love the alcantara wheel with red centre mark and those gorgeous buckets if you love sports cars I think. To me, it just looks right. This is I think exactly what I believed was missing from the R in order to make it feel like the car it is.

 

And definitely agree that it will be a million times better choice come resale time. I think this is what I'll think in order to forget the Cupra still comes out on top when thrown on a track.

 

 

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by newbie69

We will find out come time what residuals are on a Remapped GTI Clubsport which no longer is covered by Manufactures Warranty in the 2 or 3 years it would have been covered.

VW trying to protect the Turbo with Over Boost is looks like.

We will find out come time what residuals are on a Remapped GTI Clubsport which no longer is covered by Manufactures Warranty in the 2 or 3 years it would have been covered.

VW trying to protect the Turbo with Over Boost is looks like.

 

No proof of a remap with a tuning box though and I really wouldn't worry about engine protection as these engines have been coping with stage 2 power of around 400+ bhp just fine over the last 2 years. VW made sure they didn't repeat all those errors we had to deal with or at least keep an eye on, with the twinchargers. Amongst other changes, the 8 jet direct/indirect injection is a great solution and deals with quite a few issues of direct injection TSIs. A great piece of engineering. Nowhere near the variety and frequency of reported issues of the 1.4 TSI when it had the same age as the MKIII EA888 has now.

 

The whole boost feature is there simply because given the better chassis and aero, the Clubsport would put the R into shame on a track and VW obviously can't have that, I understand it. So cut a little bit of power from the CS and make it look slower on paper and maybe on long (>10 sec) straights to keep things in order. There is a video of a Clubsport following an R on track and the CS is keeping to its tail with an ease, especially around corners. On certain tracks I'm sure the CS will even be marginally faster.

 

George, If I finally go for it I might have to thank you indeed. I wasn't aware of its existence until this afternoon. Naturally, the salesman didn't mention anything when I finally rejected the R saying "well I need at least a hatchback Golf's boot (380 lt) but an engine with more performance and potential than the one in the GTI".  Hello! This is when you say: "We have just that in the Clubsport GTI"!!!

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by newbie69

It was only the few Turbos that failed. All sorted now.

?

Did you not follow the thread here of the member with the Cupra 280 and his turbo needing replaced?

 

The Cupra 280 already shows up the Golf R on the track in the dry.

But really i doubt that is the reason for holding back the Clubsport, it was the 400/ 420R that was the

Love Child of Martin Winterkorn.

 

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

It was only the few Turbos that failed. All sorted now.

?

Did you not follow the thread here of the member with the Cupra 280 and his turbo needing replaced?

 

The Cupra 280 already shows up the Golf R on the track in the dry.

But really i doubt that is the reason for holding back the Clubsport, it was the 400/ 420R that was the

Love Child of Martin Winterkorn.

 

From what I read yes, it is by no means a generalized failure that affects cars as massively as the dreaded 1.4 TSI oil consumption / engine failure. "I know a guy that knows a guy that his engine/turbo/gearbox/whatever failed" and you might end up with all cars on sale ruled out. But the great majority seems to be doing just fine.

 

We'll disagree to that, I think it's precisely the reason the more driver oriented Clubsport coulnd't be (on paper) as quick as the R. That would make 2 cars obsolete with one shot (both GTI and R). The 400/420 was too much of a concept and certainly at those power levels the target group shrinks quite quickly so not that much of a competition. Plenty of room for a 290bhp track-oriented FWD and a 400bhp superhatch the way I see it.

Have fun what ever you choose,

i know a guy that is a VW tech who knows a Audi Tech and a Seat Tech, they all know something.

They sometimes even tell me something in person.

 

?

Have you actually driven a Mk7 Golf GTI  or even a GTI PP recently,

it was bettered by many VWG models yunks ago.

It was already a fat lump.

A Polo GTI 1.8TSI 192ps matches it.

 

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Have fun what ever you choose,

i know a guy that is a VW tech who knows a Audi Tech and a Seat Tech, they all know something.

They sometimes even tell me something in person.

 

?

Have you actually driven a Mk7 Golf GTI  or even a GTI PP recently,

it was bettered by many VWG models yunks ago.

It was already a fat lump.

A Polo GTI 1.8TSI 192ps matches it.

 

 

 

We'll see what offer I get on the Clubsport. Still the Cupra is in my most probable choice. Up to today I was waiting my dealer to tell me when MY2017 Cupras will start to be produced so we could place the order at the right time to get one and not a MY2016 (minor changes but still), so it's not ruled out at all.

 

I've only driven the R, not any GTI. But I'm not having the GTI anyway because of the smaller engine (actually smaller turbo and normal pistons and internals as opposed to the Cupra/R/S3 and hopefully Clubsport since it goes up to 290 even with an oveboost) which makes quite a difference on the tuning potential. If I discover that the Clubsport does not share the same engine and has merely a GTI pumped one, then it's back to Cupra for good.

Do you have a buyer for the Fabia?

 

The Clubsport has the good engine, the engine that was in the Cupra 265 (280 & now 290,)

the 265 ps which was perfect for tuning since it is the same as the others, it was actually a bargain.

Still is if someone buys a used one cheaply to tune as a basis for a Daily Driver / Track car.

Edited 9 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Golf GTI Clubsport.

Decent Configuration @ UK Prices

Note! Bucket seats and 19" wheels are options

http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30020262/vw.co.uk?p=eyJzIjoiU0VpYVFsOEVZQTBkTFZpLWtIMmtzUHVRc08wIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDAyMDI2MixcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvdncuY28udWtcXFwvc1xcXC8xMzFhdVwiLFwiaWRcIjpcIjU3ZDYxZjU1OTdjZjRlM2I5NzI0OTdkNjEwMjUwZDQ2XCIsXCJ1cmxfaWRzXCI6W1wiNjdhYjIxMzhkOWY3NGI1OTA2YmExNTY0YmJiNDU1MTVmNzA4OTU4MFwiXX0ifQ

Do you have a buyer for the Fabia?

 

The Clubsport has the good engine, the engine that was in the Cupra 265 (280 & now 290,)

the 265 ps which was perfect for tuning since it is the same as the others, it was actually a bargain.

Still is if someone buys a used one cheaply to tune as a basis for a Daily Driver / Track car.

 

I have used car buyers offers at around 35-40% of its purchase value which, If I don't find a private buyer, I'll have to accept. A low miles used Cupra could also be a choice but in Sweden 11/10 cars are estates so nothing for the unlucky guys like myself that prefer hatchbacks. Even the dealer said they don't have or plan of getting a 5door for test drive any time soon (although they did have one some 6 months ago when I test-drove it, maybe they had mistakenly ordered that one instead of an ST...) so it has to be a new one.

 

Currently there is a good campaign on the R which means final price is the one you get through the website, no extra discount. The Clubsport is not on campaign and a fully specced one ends up as expensive as the campaigned R so I'm expecting a decent discount that will place it closer to the Cupra than to the R. That's just estimation anyway.

Golf GTI Clubsport.

Decent Configuration @ UK Prices

Note! Bucket seats and 19" wheels are options

http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30020262/vw.co.uk?p=eyJzIjoiU0VpYVFsOEVZQTBkTFZpLWtIMmtzUHVRc08wIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDAyMDI2MixcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvdncuY28udWtcXFwvc1xcXC8xMzFhdVwiLFwiaWRcIjpcIjU3ZDYxZjU1OTdjZjRlM2I5NzI0OTdkNjEwMjUwZDQ2XCIsXCJ1cmxfaWRzXCI6W1wiNjdhYjIxMzhkOWY3NGI1OTA2YmExNTY0YmJiNDU1MTVmNzA4OTU4MFwiXX0ifQ

 

Yeah I noticed when configuring one a few hours ago. Don't like that tribal design on the 19" so will stick with the stock 18", but the buckets are a must.

So, initial offer on the Clubsport came with a rather unimpressive discount (5.8%), compared to the ones I got from BMW, Audi and SEAT (6.8%, 7.5%, 9,2% respectively), actually the smallest I've got so far. So even if it is only 2K more than the Cupra on the configurators, after the offers are taken into account the Clubsport ends up around 3.2K more expensive. I obviously didn't expect it to match the Cupra price, but unless I can knock off another 800-1000eur I think it's going to be the SEAT. I think 2K is a reasonable price to pay to get practically the same car in Golf's clothes, more than that you just have to like the car that much more. Although that Clubsport does look more special and exciting both inside and outside than your typical GTI/R. So might give in eventually...

Edited 11 April, 201610 yr by newbie69

No it's not in Sweden. It is actually very wisely priced to pose some real competition to the R, and well, makes the GTI pointless over here. There are quite some differences between the UK and Swedish market as I've discovered lately. But even if it was sold at the exact same price as the R, for those that are looking for the most driver's Golf it seems the Clubsport is the way to go. Will probably be faster around a track as well. And there is no power deficit, that 265/290 overboost silliness is just marketing tricks to ensure internal order. Clubsport/R/Cupra/S3 they use the exact same engines, and when mapped they end up right at the same spot (not the ordinary GTI/ Octavia vRS though, these have the "normal" EA888 version)

 

Things that I've noted in the last couple of hours while reading/watching reviews: 

 

(As I suspected) the boot, with no 4wd controller below, is identical to the Cupra at 380lt (vs 343 on the R)      One of the main reasons I ditched the R in the first place.

 

Dynamics wise, seems the Clubsport has closed the gap to a noticeable extent between a GTI/R and the Cupra, although the Spaniard is still more capable on track.

 

These sport touches both inside and outside might just be what's needed to shift the balance away from the Cupra. A mass-production Golf can never look boy-racer in my eyes I'm sorry, it's still serious and conservative BUT, I think the CS is JUST as aggressive as a really special sports Golf should be. Ok I understand the rear wing is not to everybody's taste but it's tiny really, and you've got to love the alcantara wheel with red centre mark and those gorgeous buckets if you love sports cars I think. To me, it just looks right. This is I think exactly what I believed was missing from the R in order to make it feel like the car it is.

 

And definitely agree that it will be a million times better choice come resale time. I think this is what I'll think in order to forget the Cupra still comes out on top when thrown on a track.

 

 

Well, I think that we would prefer "serious & conservative", after all, we are very old..........

We don't want a very visible sports hatch / estate,  it's much more fun to drive a "Q" car.

 

As for UK pricing, it's interesting.

 

I've taken the prices from the latest VW UK price-list, & compared the GT, GT + Performance Pack, Clubsport & the R. , all as 5 door cars with DSG, normal paint & 18" wheels.

The GTi has Kessy, the Winter Pack& Discover Nav as standard, so I've added these options to the Clubsport & the R.

 

GTi        = £ 29870.

GTi PP = £ 30865

GTi CS = £ 33710

R           = £ 34725

 

All on the road prices, & I'd imagine tha.t discounts are / will be available.

 

DC

 

 

Well, I think that we would prefer "serious & conservative", after all, we are very old..........

We don't want a very visible sports hatch / estate,  it's much more fun to drive a "Q" car.

 

As for UK pricing, it's interesting.

 

I've taken the prices from the latest VW UK price-list, & compared the GT, GT + Performance Pack, Clubsport & the R. , all as 5 door cars with DSG, normal paint & 18" wheels.

The GTi has Kessy, the Winter Pack& Discover Nav as standard, so I've added these options to the Clubsport & the R.

 

GTi        = £ 29870.

GTi PP = £ 30865

GTi CS = £ 33710

R           = £ 34725

 

All on the road prices, & I'd imagine tha.t discounts are / will be available.

 

DC

 

 

Well I agree that the R is the least special looking performance Golf, minus the exhaust tips it looks almost as any other R-Line Golf out there, almost un-noticeable. An easy choice for those who like serious and conservative as you say you do. Not me, even a Cupra looks much more exciting in my eyes. But I think that to the average eye, a Clubsport will be taken at most for a GTI, which ok is a sports hatch but nothing mental really. When in reality, with almost 300bhp at its disposal (and easily taken to circa 400) will be just that on the road. In that sense it's quite a "Q" car as much as the R as it starts from a lower "expected" performance level.

 

The issue I see with UK prices is that being so close to the R price-wise, most people who actually don't prioritize driving dynamics and track performance will opt for the R. It's hard to resist a "4 wheel drive" even if you don't actually need it or even know that you drive without it 99% of the time. In Sweden though, they chose to sell it at standard Golf GTI price, yes you read that right. Slightly less equipped as standard but still doesn't come close to the R. Unless somebdoy needs 4WD absolutely, it's a no brainer really.

Having driven my RWD baby Beemer in the sleet the other day, I can see the attraction of AWD Roundabouts were a bit more than just fun! Wouldn't swap it just yet though