VW Golf Clubsport Proves Its Worth Versus GTI, GTD In A Drag Race

The Volkswagen Golf range has a lot to offer, and that's part of the reason why it was once the best-seller of the German marque before getting dethroned by the Tiguan. Now on its eighth generation, the Golf range still offers the GTI variants – kind of a mid-tier level in terms of performance, for those who want a go-fast compact vehicle but are not committed to jumping straight to the hotter (and pricier) Golf R.

 Within the Golf GTI range, there are plenty to choose from, as well. There's the standard GTI, the diesel-fed GTD, the plug-in hybrid GTE, and the hotter GTI Clubsport.

To compare these GTI derivatives, carwow UK pits them in a drag race sans the electrified GTE. With the same 2.0-liter engine displacement, same transmission, same 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters) torque output, and same front-wheel drivetrain, it's practically a battle of drivers and numbers, namely weight and horsepower. It's also important to note that the GTI Clubsport wears a different set of rubber that can affect traction.

Of course, the GTI Clubsport is the most powerful of the bunch, with the gasoline mill making 296 horsepower (221 kilowatts). The standard Golf GTI produces a tad less at 242 hp (180 kW), while the GTD puts out 197 hp (147 kW) from the oil burner.

And yes, weight matters as I've mentioned, and the standard GTI has a bit of an advantage at 3,192 pounds (1,448 kilograms). Having the least powerful engine of the three, the GTD slots at a slump for being the heaviest at 3,230 lbs (1,465 kg).

With these numbers laid out, we all know the result of this race. It will ultimately depend on the driver.