2022 VW Golf R and GTI Clubsport arrive with more power

The hot versions of the VW Golf are always hotly anticipated, so it is with much fanfare that the 2022 VW Golf R and the Golf GTI Clubsport have been revealed, following the debut of the Golf GTI that is yet to be seen in the Middle East.

The 2022 Golf R is the top dog in the Golf line-up and it had been quite a wait since the eighth generation of the Golf came out a year ago. The new Golf R is worth the wait as it is the most powerful R yet. Packing a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, the 2022 Golf R gets 315 hp, with 420 Nm to boot. The power handling duties are given to either the standard six-speed manual gearbox or the optional seven-speed DSG. The Golf R can now run from 0 to 100 kph in just over 4.9 seconds.

The power is distributed to all four wheels through VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. The rear differential is now tuned to be able to send up to 100 percent of the torque to the outside wheel in “Drift Mode,” a special configurable mode within Race Mode that seems to be inspired by the now-defunct Ford Focus RS. Along with the Race Mode, the 2022 Golf R gets other modes including Sport, Comfort and Individual.

To set the 2022 Golf R apart from the regular hatch, it gets a sportier front bumper, different air intake designs, blacked-out elements and standard 19-inch alloy wheels. The interior is similar to what we have seen in the Golf GTI, apart from the “R” button on the steering wheel to launch the Race Mode and the number of “R” logos.

The VW Golf GTI Clubsport fits right in between the hot Golf GTI and the hottest Golf R. Just like the GTI and Golf R, the GTI Clubsport gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine but with 296 hp, 54 hp more than the standard GTI. Exclusively mated to a seven-speed DSG, the GTI Clubsport can run from 0 to 100 kph in under 6 seconds. Unlike the R, the Clubsport is a front-wheel-drive. Thus to eliminate understeer, VW has added an upgraded Vehicle Dynamics Manager which now controls even the variable-locking front differential. This, along with tweaks made to the power steering and a suspension lowered by 15 mm should give the Clubsport even better dynamics.

We expect the new Golf R and GTI Clubsport to show up in the UAE and GCC sometime late in the second half of 2021, as we still wait for the regular Golf and GTI to show up here.