GTI Clubsport.....Can't be long now

[Clubsport S]

apologies to all, cs116 is grey

https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-reviews/volkswagen-golf-gti-clubsport-s-2016-review-two-minute-road-test

Good spot, I can now rest 

So one prototype is grey and the other has black wheels, neither of which you can get on a production car 

Yes seems odd to have options on cars which are not available to select. But perhaps it is only the UK cars where spec is limited.

Did you get to choose your colour? Is it that they are only bringing to the UK a certain number of each colour?

I would have chosen the black wheels if I could 

Easy enough to have the wheels repainted.
I think they went with silver wheels because it looks OK on all the colours, black on a black car isn't to everyone's taste and giving a choice was obviously too much grief.

I didn't get a colour choice and it's hard to be sure why unless the bodyshells are painted already and awaiting build (unlikely).
It wouldn't surprise me if they pre-decided on the colours as that's in keeping with giving zero options and I am surprised that black was as popular as white pretty much considering it's not been on a press CS or CSS.

The a/c delete option had to be there so you could spec a car like the 'ring record one.

Red and white look great but I'm happy with black because I do want a bit of stealth.

I was wondering if VW UK perhaps secured, or chose to have, 50 in each colour for the UK. These then got somehow allocated.

[jjgreenwood]

apologies to all, cs116 is grey

https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-reviews/volkswagen-golf-gti-clubsport-s-2016-review-two-minute-road-test

Good spot, I can now rest 

So one prototype is grey and the other has black wheels, neither of which you can get on a production car 

Yes seems odd to have options on cars which are not available to select. But perhaps it is only the UK cars where spec is limited.

Did you get to choose your colour? Is it that they are only bringing to the UK a certain number of each colour?

I would have chosen the black wheels if I could 

Easy enough to have the wheels repainted.
I think they went with silver wheels because it looks OK on all the colours, black on a black car isn't to everyone's taste and giving a choice was obviously too much grief.

I didn't get a colour choice and it's hard to be sure why unless the bodyshells are painted already and awaiting build (unlikely).
It wouldn't surprise me if they pre-decided on the colours as that's in keeping with giving zero options and I am surprised that black was as popular as white pretty much considering it's not been on a press CS or CSS.

The a/c delete option had to be there so you could spec a car like the 'ring record one.

Red and white look great but I'm happy with black because I do want a bit of stealth.

I was wondering if VW UK perhaps secured, or chose to have, 50 in each colour for the UK. These then got somehow allocated.

We had to request colours so I think they ordered to spec on colour. That said I did see on pistonheads someone post some numbers and red was the rarest, no idea where he got the information from, or even if its true.

Personally I think the white is a bit bling, can't decide whether it'll be nicer in red or black though. Red shows off the black trim, but black shows off the red trim.

[jjgreenwood]

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/hooning-a-vw-golf-gti-clubsport-s-on-a-mountain-road-was-my-idea-of-hot-hatch-perfection/

some nice pictures of cs116 here

[scanesare]

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/hooning-a-vw-golf-gti-clubsport-s-on-a-mountain-road-was-my-idea-of-hot-hatch-perfection/

some nice pictures of cs116 here

"...Then there’s the aero to think about: the kit the S gets is roughly based on the Edition 40’s, but on the latter car it merely cancels out the lift. The more extreme bits and pieces attached to the S meanwhile give proper downforce: 8kg at the front and 17kg at the rear."

Reading bits like that I remind myself I should be more lenient with forum members or people I happen to discuss with that have clearly no knowledge of what they are talking about. At least they do it for leisure/fun and are not getting paid from it like that guy in the quoted article.

So, the S has "more extreme" aero bits and pieces (which ones? where???) that give it downforce as (supposedly) opposed to the standard CS?    Reality: no, the CSS carries over the identical bodykit/aero pack of the CS and they both generate the same amount of downforce which is 8kg front, 17kg rear probably at quite high speeds. VW merely denied disclosing the figures at CS launch last year but did so when the CSS was released. For sure Nurburgring records seem to be aiding imagination (and it's not the first time I come across smt like it) resulting in funnier articles...

[volkswizard]

The way I look at these these lap times I think that the differences between the CS and its non CSS competitors are so small that it boils to the driver's skills.

The same is probably true of GT3 vs GT3 RS 911, only a highly skilled driver will exploit the addition capabilities of the GT3 RS but it doesn't take away from the superiority and desirability of the car.

[volkswizard]

We had to request colours so I think they ordered to spec on colour. That said I did see on pistonheads someone post some numbers and red was the rarest, no idea where he got the information from, or even if its true.

That was me quoting numbers on Pistonheads, the info came directly from VW Press Office and is quoted in the current issue of VW Driver magazine.

[volkswizard]

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/hooning-a-vw-golf-gti-clubsport-s-on-a-mountain-road-was-my-idea-of-hot-hatch-perfection/

some nice pictures of cs116 here

"...Then there’s the aero to think about: the kit the S gets is roughly based on the Edition 40’s, but on the latter car it merely cancels out the lift. The more extreme bits and pieces attached to the S meanwhile give proper downforce: 8kg at the front and 17kg at the rear."

Reading bits like that I remind myself I should be more lenient with forum members or people I happen to discuss with that have clearly no knowledge of what they are talking about. At least they do it for leisure/fun and are not getting paid from it like that guy in the quoted article.

So, the S has "more extreme" aero bits and pieces (which ones? where???) that give it downforce as (supposedly) opposed to the standard CS?    Reality: no, the CSS carries over the identical bodykit/aero pack of the CS and they both generate the same amount of downforce which is 8kg front, 17kg rear probably at quite high speeds. VW merely denied disclosing the figures at CS launch last year but did so when the CSS was released. For sure Nurburgring records seem to be aiding imagination (and it's not the first time I come across smt like it) resulting in funnier articles...

Generally at a press launch the journos are given an info pack and all info should come from this so weird to make a fundamental mistake like this.

Having said that if Autocar can't distinguish the standard nav screen from the bigger upgrade and then bang on about being able to upgrade it when the zero option aspect to the CSS is almost as newsworthy (for a VW) as the 'ring record itself, there are bound to be errors elsewhere.

[scanesare]

The way I look at these these lap times I think that the differences between the CS and its non CSS competitors are so small that it boils to the driver's skills.

The same is probably true of GT3 vs GT3 RS 911, only a highly skilled driver will exploit the addition capabilities of the GT3 RS but it doesn't take away from the superiority and desirability of the car.

Yes probably. Interestingly enough, looking at GT3/GT3RS lap times they are so close (only couple of tenths per minute) that you wonder where all that RS superiority has gone but at least there you don't have to sacrifice two rear seats as they don't exist even on the standard GT3, lol.

You know actually, for the majority it won't ever matter if the CS matches 95% or 99% the performance of the CSS with merely a set of PSC2 and a re-map (correction: a reversion to stock map  ) at ~310ps. The CSS is still the one which is the official record holder and a 400 unit limited edition. These two alone can ensure desirability remains high.

For the rest of us that are interested in actual technical differences, lap times and how/whether they are affected and by which items in particular, and do take our cars to the track it is a different story. Not going to bother with anything other than a set of Michelins and a map "correction" as the car just feels perfect to throw around bends at any speed I fancy (first car of mine that will every stay with 100% stock suspension) but I am pretty sure a few CS owners will be going down the CSS road, and maybe even further.

[volkswizard]

 

The way I look at these these lap times I think that the differences between the CS and its non CSS competitors are so small that it boils to the driver's skills.

The same is probably true of GT3 vs GT3 RS 911, only a highly skilled driver will exploit the addition capabilities of the GT3 RS but it doesn't take away from the superiority and desirability of the car.

Yes probably. Interestingly enough, looking at GT3/GT3RS lap times they are so close (only couple of tenths per minute) that you wonder where all that RS superiority has gone but at least there you don't have to sacrifice two rear seats as they don't exist even on the standard GT3, lol.

You know actually, for the majority it won't ever matter if the CS matches 95% or 99% the performance of the CSS with merely a set of PSC2 and a re-map (correction: a reversion to stock map  ) at ~310ps. The CSS is still the one which is the official record holder and a 400 unit limited edition. These two alone can ensure desirability remains high.

For the rest of us that are interested in actual technical differences, lap times and how/whether they are affected and by which items in particular, and do take our cars to the track it is a different story. Not going to bother with anything other than a set of Michelins and a map "correction" as the car just feels perfect to throw around bends at any speed I fancy (first car of mine that will every stay with 100% stock suspension) but I am pretty sure a few CS owners will be going down the CSS road, and maybe even further.

Having driven on Toyo R888Rs, how do you think the Cup 2 compares?
I assume it's not hideously noisy like the Toyos, but does that mean it's not as extreme?

My CSS is build week 41 by the way, just in time for some winter tyres 

[scanesare]

Having driven on Toyo R888Rs, how do you think the Cup 2 compares?
I assume it's not hideously noisy like the Toyos, but does that mean it's not as extreme?

My CSS is build week 41 by the way, just in time for some winter tyres 

Ouch, November (possibly) doesn't seem the best period to get hold of such a car does it? Cupra owners with the same tyre on the Sub8 pack say it needs prudence in the rain and always good warm up. I imagine it can be tricky in the winter depending on where you are of-course.

I've had semi-slicks before (Federal RS-R - what an amazing tyre if you are below 220-230 bhp) but I haven't driven either the Toyo or the PSC2 to safely comment. I wouldn't worry about it being less extreme than the Toyo though. The PSC2 according to every reviewer I trust is almost a magic tyre with reported insane amounts of grip. I don't think you could have anything better for track or dry road use.

If the CS came with the PSC2 on I'd stick with them no doubt but as I am in a position of choosing, after discussions with owners and a car journo that has actually driven and reviewed both the CS and CSS (and several sports tyres also), I ended up going for the MPSS over the PSC2. Car being our daily driver I decided I should trade in a few tenths of a second for better overall driveability (rain/temps) and greater longevity. Still, miles ahead from the dreadful Bridgestones...