Volkswagen celebrates the iconic Golf GTI with a 300-horsepower special edition.
The VW Golf is the second most prolific car in the world. Since 1974 more than 30 million have been built. Sold as the Rabbit in the US and Canada or the Caribe in Mexico, the Golf has been built and sold all over the world. When the Golf GTI was introduced in 1976 it virtually invented the “hot hatch” market segment.
To honor the heritage of the GTI a special run of 400 Golf GTI Clubsport S models will be produced. Borrowing heavily from the TCR racing car, the new model is a scorcher. Last month a Clubsport S lapped the famed Nurburgring at a blistering 7:49, setting a new record for front-wheel drive cars.
Available in red, white or black, the Clubsport S package will offer over 300 hp on tap from a 2.0 liter turbo four-banger. The features also include special steering and suspension upgrades, which include a Nurburgring setting!
The bad news is- there are currently no plans to sell the Golf GTI Clubsport S in the U.S. market.
Another special edition that won’t be seen in showrooms at all is a project of 12 interns at VW’s Wolfsburg facility. The GTI Heartbeat is heavily customized with 40th anniversary graphics and a 1360-watt stereo system.
Images courtesy Volkswagen AG