Review: the VW Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40

So, this is the fastest front-drive hatch around the Nürburgring?

No. Wrong Golf GTI(with Car Dvd Gps). You’re understandably thinking of the visually identical Golf GTI Clubsport S, which has 306bhp and the Nürburgring champion of the world belt around its waist. Golf GTIs have got quite confusing lately.

Right…what’s this then?

The regular Clubsport. Since we last drove it at the Portimao circuit in Portugal, VW has tacked ‘Edition 40’ onto its name, signifying four decades of Golfs wearing those three hallowed letters. The mk4, mk5 and mk6 all got respective 25th, 30th and 35th editions, so it’s fitting the current mk7 Golf gets to have its birthday cake and eat it, too.

Now we get to try it on real roads, in Britain. I know, VW’s pictures were taken at a race track. Sorry about that. Just imagine less red and white kerbing and more potholes.

The car looks the same as the Nürburgring-busting Clubsport S…

Indeed. It uses the same functional gills up front for funneling air around the front bumper and out of the wheelarch. There are brake ducts in the honeycomb grille, the split-level rear wing, and wider diffuser, which combine to cleave actual downforce from the atmosphere once you’re above 75mph.

VW doesn’t quote a quantifiable figure, mind you. Not that it’ll help your argument when you’re nicked for speeding. “But officer, I’m actually more stuck to the road than when I was doing seventy…”

What else do I get…or not get?

Unlike the S, the Clubsport does have back seats, and doesn’t have 306bhp. The official rated output of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot is 261bhp, but for ten seconds when in third gear or higher, it’ll overboost to 287bhp. What about install a Car DVD Player

On paper, that looks a bit contrived, like VW is overcomplicating matters and shortchanging you when Seat’s latest Leon Cupra serves up the full 286bhp whenever you like. And given this Clubsport is a £30,935 car – just £250 less than the all-wheel drive Golf R, no less – well, it’s all in danger of seeming futile. Why bother?

Go on then, why?

Because this is a tremendous car. Honestly, one of the very best I’ve driven in 2016. All of the confusing spec nonsense floats out of the window when you give the Clubsport a bit of stick, and discover what this car does is take the very likeable – but slightly untaxing – Golf GTI, and ramp up the aggression in every single department, without ruining any of the day-to-day ability.

I’d personally like to drive one of these round to the house of every armchair critic I see whining on how ‘boring’ hot Golfs are, and sit them in the bolstered bucket seat of a Clubsport for twenty minutes. That’d do the trick. If installing an VW navigation in your car, that would be great!