BETTER PARTSMega golf with Nordschleife record
Wolfsburg, may 4, 2016
7:49:21: This number will probably say much the most. Rather, if the terms "Northern loop" and "Maneuverability" are added. VW has now shown the front-wheel drive competition namely, what is a rake and cracked the corresponding record on the Nürburgring. "Pulverized" spoken of at all, when it comes to the best brand of racing driver Benny Leuchter in the new Golf GTI ClubSport S. Whether it is just pure coincidence, that the new mega-GTI as the previous district King Honda Civic type R (7:50:63) exactly is 310 HP?
Premiere at Wörthersee
Anyway: officially presented is the VW Golf GTI ClubSport S at the GTI-Treffen am Wörthersee (4th to 7th may 2016). As the name of the new model suggests, the extreme Golf Club Sport is based on the GTI. Here were temporary by mode from 265 HP 290 HP. In contrast, the 310 PS of the S version are permanently available. So is the GTI S stronger than the golf R ClubSport. Also the performance can be seen: 5.8 seconds from zero to 100 km/h and an unregulated off tip of 265 km/h. There will be world's 400 copies, 100 of them for the German market. The colors of the special series follow the ur-GTI, the choices are red, white, and black. The roof is painted by the way always black. Inside, there is a plaque with the production number, as well as Alcantara on the steering wheel and shift knob.
30 kilograms lighter
But the VW Golf GTI ClubSport S is not limited to optical gimmicks. For weight reasons, S only as hand-turned three-door is available. And it is even more extreme, because the car is a pure two seater. The rear seat is eliminated as well as miscellaneous insulating, the variable cargo floor, the rear shelf or even the hood attenuation. An aluminium subframe at the front axle and aluminium brake pots turf off more grams. But on the other side of the scale, new ingredients are about 235/35-ZR-Semislicks Michelin on 19-inch alloy wheels, a strut brace, Xenon headlights, a separating network behind the seats and carpet in the rear. The bottom line remains a weight of 30 kg, the Golf GTI ClubSport S weighs 1,360 kilogram according to EU standard with driver and luggage.
Connections to racing
Synergy effects coming from the VW Golf GTI TCR, a 330 HP strong race car. This one has copied from the opportunities to improve performance. How come so the GTI 310 PS ClubSport S? It has adapted to the motor control and fitted a new exhaust system. You has a diameter of 65 instead of 55 millimetres before the end pots. Thus the pressure reduces according to VW, while increasing the performance. Also the braking system has been modified to withstand high temperatures.
Mobile front-wheel drive
Now you are perhaps noted that 310 HP are well and good, but especially with front-wheel drive must be also mobile. Therefore, there are among other aerodynamic measures, to get more downforce to the rear axle. So, the suspension can be tuned significantly neutral. VW according to the typical understeer is "practically no longer exists." Both axes have been reconfigured with the sport suspension, for example, through a higher camber angle on the front axle. With positive consequences: Although the traction control intervenes later, typical for strong newcomer "stamping" the front wheels no longer occurs at maximum acceleration. VW compares the effect to a "Leek control" for automatic vehicles. Here also the standard front axle differential lock with a variable degree of blocking benefits.
Special vote for the ring
Speaking of variable: Also the ESP is adjustable: In sport mode, it speaks later on, if necessary the ESP can be switched off completely. Standard Golf GTI ClubSport S is an adaptive chassis control on board in every VW. In selecting a driving profile, a setting is specifically deposited, for the Northern loop, if it has seen off the ClubSport-S owners on the new record time. Somewhat surprisingly, the chassis is here not maximum hard tuned. The reason lies in the track nature of the "green hell". Vertical car must be rather soft, transverse dynamic but at the same time stiff. Therefore there is one particularly Nurburgring Setup for the damper. For the price of the Golf GTI ClubSport S VW not manifests itself yet, but fans should access just as fast. (rh)