Happy Birthday GTI: VW Golf 8 GTI Clubsport 45
To celebrate 45 years of the Clubsport badge, Volkswagen revealed the Golf 8 GTI Clubsport 45 at the end of February 2020. Unfortunately, much like the regular Golf 8 GTI Clubsport, Volkswagen will not be bringing this 45 model to South Africa.
45th birthday looks on the Golf 8 GTI Clubsport 45.
There is an even sportier appearance on the already sporty styled GTI Clubsport. This was achieved with larger air intakes, a new open roof spoiler and the Race package that includes 19-inch Scottsdale alloy wheels finished in high-gloss black. The roof and spoiler get a similar black finish while a 45 is placed discreetly on the bottom of the rear doors.
No more top-speed Vmax limiter.
The same powertrain that powers the Golf 8 GTI Clubsport is used in this birthday model. This is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 221 kW and 400 Nm. It powers the front wheels through a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. While it will still promise the same “under six seconds” time from 0 to 100 km/h, the Vmax top-speed limiter has been removed. This will get rid of the limited 250 km/h top-speed, but Volkswagen has not revealed what the new top-speed will be. A fresh sports exhaust system has also been added.
The sale of this model has already begun at the beginning of this month. In Germany, it’s starting price will be 47 790 euros.
While the lack of availability in South Africa came as no surprise when Volkswagen said it wouldn’t bring the standard GTI Clubsport, the company did call it “a ready-made collector’s item”. So, it likely wouldn’t be on our want list for a daily driver.
Source: Volkswagen
