Whenever the Clubsport badge is attached to a Golf, you know that’s going to be a special car. In this case, the Mk8 Golf-based GTI Clubsport promises to keep day-to-day usability intact while it spices up everything else, including your weekend spent on the Nürburgring.

Changes you can’t see but feel

We’re told that the new GTI Clubsport is a significant improvement over the regular GTI, but at the same time, it’s not a continuation of the Clubsport S (which was a limited edition, anyway).

So you’re looking at a lap time of 7:54 minutes instead of 8:07 minutes with the optional 19-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

Green Hell bragging rights aside, The GTI Clubsport packs 296 horsepower (up from the GTI’s 242 ponies) and 295 pound-feet of torque (up from the GTI’s 273 rating), according to Evo. The engine’s been tweaked mildly, in case you’re wondering. Specifically, fuel injection pressure took a hike to 350 bar and the turbocharger is a Garrett-sourced unit.

As a result, the Clubsport is also quicker off the line, but VW only mentioned that it needs under six seconds to zap from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph). Does that mean 5.5 seconds? 5.7? 5.8? We don’t know. Top speed suffers no changes, so that’s still 250 kph (155 mph).

A major change is the gearbox, as in you can’t have it with a manual. Power goes to the front wheels, obviously, so watch out Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane R.S.

Moving on the the less obvious tweaks, the Clubsport also gets a new progressive steering rack, adaptive dampers (those are standard, by the way), and more camber for the front wheels. Oh, and spring rates have been adjusted too (up by 5 percent in the front and 15 percent in the rear), which means it’s now easier to point the car’s nose in and out of a corner and subsequently, the rear will follow more obediently.

The car also sits 15 mm (0.6 inches) closer to the ground and the front brakes are beefier - the discs now measure 357 mm (14 inches) in diameter and they’re bit by two-piston calipers whenever you need to stop or slow down.