Amid the launch of the Golf GTI Clubsport last year, Martin Hube, Volkswagen’s global spokesperson, shared what was probably one of the biggest news for VW enthusiasts: a more track-oriented version of the Golf R – a version worthy of the Clubsport moniker – is coming. Apparently, this won’t be happening soon, and hopefuls will probably need more patience before the said hotter hot hatch will ever hit the market.
Speaking with Drive during the Golf R’s Australian launch, Pedro Martinez Diaz, head of sales and marketing for Volkswagen R, implied that the Golf R Clubsport is just an idea for now, and the company is good at what the facelifted Golf R (Mk 8.5) can offer for the next two years.
“We’re happy that the 8.5 is such a great product, and then we’ll see in the future what is possible. But as I said, we’ll stick on the 333 horsepower engine and it’s okay. Customers are always asking for more performance, but the question is, do we really need more performance or not? And I think with this package we are having here today, I think … will be the right performance for the next couple of years.”
– Pedro Martinez Diaz, Head of Sales and Marketing for Volkswagen R
It Would Have Been A Hotter Hot Hatch
Diaz is, of course, talking about the latest version of the Golf R that has reached the US in November with a Black Edition in tow. This version is the most powerful one that Volkswagen has ever made, with the EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 328 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. It matches the output of the expensive and limited 333-unit Golf R 333, which in turn also matches the Golf R 20 Years Edition in 2022.
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To be fair, Hube was careful not to get our hopes up last year by saying that the Golf R Clubsport was an idea that the Volkswagen board members had to approve first. It would, however, serve as a fitting last hurrah for the Golf R before the R brand becomes a standalone EV brand, signaling the electrification of the Golf nameplate.
Not Ruled Out Entirely, So Maybe It Will Someday Happen
Speaking of electrification, the Mk9 Golf is set to become electric when it arrives toward the end of the decade. It will still have a combustion engine option, though, using Volkswagen’s new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). It will also gain advantage from the German automaker’s $5 billion investment in Rivian, particularly when it comes to making efficient, long-range EVs.
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The Clubsport nameplate may be reserved for the Golf GTI in the meantime, but at least Volkswagen isn’t ruling out Golf R Clubsport entirely. As we’ve said, we might need to exercise a little more patience. Maybe two years down the line we’ll hear more about its development, so let’s just keep our ears on the ground for now.
Source: Drive
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