Most powerful production Golfs among four new models on sale from 8 August [Photo Gallery]

The highest-performing versions of the new Golf can be ordered from Thursday 8 August at Volkswagen UK Retailers. The four new trims – the Golf GTI Clubsport, R, R Estate and R Black Edition – include some of the most powerful production cars Volkswagen currently produces.

GTI Clubsport
The 300 PS Golf GTI Clubsport goes on sale in the UK just a few weeks after it was unveiled at the famous Nürburgring in Germany – a fitting location for such a motorsport enthusiast’s car to make its debut.

It shares many of the same styling enhancements as those seen already on the Golf GTI, but this model has its own eye-catching Clubsport front bumpers complete with honeycomb air-intake grille. The front also benefits from Volkswagen’s latest IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, which have a range of 500 metres, alongside an illuminated Volkswagen logo. The sharper design continues at the rear, which features animated LED tail lights, while the side profile is completed by striking 18-inch Richmond alloy wheels.

Other standard features include keyless access and start, heated front seats, three-zone air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, and Volkswagen’s latest infotainment software and hardware, complete with clear and responsive 12.9-inch touch display. Driver assistance features include Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist.

When it comes to performance: the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol TSI engine with seven-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG) can power this Volkswagen from standstill to 62 mph in 5.6 seconds, and it has a top speed of 155 mph, where permitted. Dynamic and assured handling is underpinned by progressive steering and the enhanced running gear.

The new Golf GTI Clubsport (hatch only) is available from 8 August priced £41,655 (on-the-road recommended retail price, including VAT).

Golf R and R Estate
The new Golf R (above) and R Estate have optimised driving dynamics, thanks to the DCC adaptive chassis control system, plus exclusive standard equipment and an output of 333 PS (13 PS more than their predecessors) – making these and the Black Edition version among the most powerful production models currently available from Volkswagen. The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine transmits this power to the seven-speed DSG and 4MOTION all-wheel drive with R-Performance Torque Vectoring. Each car’s top speed of 155 mph can be boosted to 167 mph with the optional R-Performance package.

The new models also benefit from a sharper design, including a redesigned front with IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, an illuminated Volkswagen badge and air curtains in the bumper. New LED tail light clusters also feature.

The upgraded R interior features front sports seats with integrated head restraints plus Volkswagen’s latest infotainment software and hardware, including, as per the GTI Clubsport, a clear and responsive 12.9-inch touch display. Its operation has been enhanced significantly thanks to new graphics and a fresh menu structure. Illuminated touch sliders enable easy control of climate and volume, and the newly developed IDA voice assistant can access the AI-based software ChatGPT to answer questions from the driver and passengers.

The new Golf R and R Estate are available from 8 August priced from £43,320 and £44,685 respectively (on-the-road recommended retail price, including VAT).

Golf R Black Edition
Completing the line-up of new performance Volkswagens is the Golf R Black Edition (above). Armed with the same 333 PS 2.0-litre TSI engine as the standard R models, and again allied to 4MOTION four-wheel drive and a seven-speed DSG transmission, it wraps an already high-octane package in a smouldering dark exterior, complete with black 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels.

Other darkened styling cues include Volkswagen badges and R logos, brake callipers with a dark R logo, tailpipe trims and darkened IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights. A large roof spoiler completes the car’s muscular appearance.

The car can sprint to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds, but this time the top speed is 168 mph thanks to the inclusion, as standard, of the R performance package. This package also offers two additional racetrack-specific driving modes – drift and special – while a GPS lap timer and G-meter complete the list of features designed very much with motorsport enthusiasts in mind.

The new Golf R Black Edition (hatch only) is available from 8 August priced £44,570 (on-the-road recommended retail price, including VAT).