JonSpriggs

So now we know the full facts, is the GTI Clubsport the best Golf GTI it could be?It's been a big news week for Volkswagen, big birthdays don't come along every day, and certainly none bigger than the 40th birthday of the original hot hatch, the Golf GTI. We've known for a long time that the anniversary was to be marked with a special anniversary edition, which we've known also for a long time to be the Clubsport. So, now the specifications are out, and the headline figures certainly meet all expectations! 265 PS power output Peak power over 290 PS on overboost 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds (6.0s in the manual) Improved aero package Front wheel drive with the familiar e-diff Deep bucket seats and an Alcantara steering wheel Click here to view the article

New steering wheel arrives today, so that'll be my first proper 'mod' ....and then hopefully I'll fit better too!

Cheers So true about the 1303s.... As much as I love the look of the early sixties cars with the 'W' Deck Lids, these with the MacPherson strut front end just are a much better car. No Porsche engine needed Dan! 48bhp is plenty in this little orange beast... the back end is already very lively in the wet! Not something I'd make a habit of, just thought I'd try and provoke it as traffic was quiet - and it bit.

Very true! That has already proved most useful! The Beetle has a wonderful curved roofline too which sticks up over modern grey saloons! Not quite mint, but not far off! Underneath is so clean you could cook on it Cheers... and errr.... no

I've always wanted a Beetle, ever since I was around 18 months old, and I saw my first Herbie film! 30 years later, having been pretty much a life long VW fan, I finally have one. I was watching this on eBay last week, and was the highest bidder, but it didn't make reserve. Anyway, after a bit of negotiation, I went on Saturday morning to collect. So... he's a 1973 Beetle 1303, with a non-standard 1600cc engine (48bhp) in a rather bright shade of orange! I've never had a car that attracts so much attention! Driving back on Saturday, I had toots on the M25, kids waving out the back of cars - it felt fantastic! No major things planned as yet - I need to modify the seat in some way for a couple of extra inches of legroom, and a smaller steering wheel will make driving easier too (I'm a large 6ft5). So, that's it for now... He joins the Golf R to make me a two VW man.

Are VW preparing for dual hot hatch launch at IAA Frankfurt in September 2015? It appears to us that Volkswagen is gearing up for a rather large party... as many will know, 2016 will be the 40th anniversary of the Golf GTI, and with any big birthday, there's no harm in starting the party a little bit early........... Click here to view the article

I expect it to a series production model, not a limited edition...

Enough of the rumours, we’ve got the facts on the most hotly awaited Golf this Century…Imagine having a job where you could let your inner child run free, creating cars that not only look to the future, but also showcase the very latest in technology. Well that’s the job of Christoph Bronder, Head of Technical Development at Volkswagen, and the man responsible for all of Volkswagens Concept Cars worldwide, including the much discussed R400. The car itself looks impressive… it rides low on its widened track, the greeny yellow flashes against the deep metallic silver paint (‘borrowed’ from Porsche) signifying something out of the ordinary, something that treads into uncharted territory for VW. The carbon fibre sill extensions, the rear diffuser and spoiler all give the Golf R400 a purposeful look. People say the standard R is very reserved in its styling; the same cannot be said for the R400 Concept. But, this isn’t just a concept car; Christoph tells us this is a fully functioning car that’s ready to go. Ready to hit the streets… …and hit the streets it will. Yes folks, after a year of debate, we can confirm that the R400 is destined for production, and that’s exactly what it will be, an R400, not an R420. Christoph confirmed to us the upgraded engine will be good for 420PS, but that version will be reserved for an Audi project – over to Revo then for that extra 20PS! There's currently a raft of engines currently being bench tested to ensure they're suitable for all driving conditions. Many of the features found on the R400 concept will carry over to production, including that widened track. The carbon fibre, which is all real carbon on the R400 concept won’t, it would simply make the production car too expensive. That greeny yellow colour will feature too – Christoph explained to us how difficult colour selection is within VW – Red is for GTI, Blue is for R, Green is seen as an ‘Eco’ colour, while Orange is associated with electrical components and hazards, so this new colour will designate all top performance models going forward. So what else did we learn? Well, just like the regular R, the R400 will be available with 3-door and 5-door variants and manual and 7-Speed DSG gearbox options, and of course Haldex four wheel drive to cope with the 400PS power output (that’s 394bhp, or 294kW). Christoph also mentioned an exhaust which can be manually controlled via a steering wheel button, enabling the driver to select a quieter note for cruising, and a racier rasp when you want it. We were absolutely delighted at this point in our interview, the speculation was finally over, and we had some great exclusive interview. Christoph wasn’t finished though. He’s a man who is clearly proud of his creation, and he wanted to show it off. Cue him handing us a rather inauspicious looking key with Velcro attached… yes, we got to fire up the R400. This car is fitted with keyless entry, so a prod of the starter button sees the 400PS motor fire into life – there is a bark from the exhaust which soon settles down to a deep baritone burble. There’s a rasp to the exhaust note as it revs, and a crackle on lift off – it’s one of the best sounding exhausts on a 4-cylinder car I’ve ever heard. But don’t just take our word for it, have a listen to the video below… then head straight down to your VW dealer and beg them to take your deposit, you’ll want one. The R400 is coming, are you ready for it? Over to you… Click here to view the article

I'd imagine it will be static only, and I can't see why it wouldn't be there on all three days.

I think the thursday is the 'press' day with limited hill climb activity... Fri/Sat/Sun are the full public days

Volkswagen continues development of the '400 Project', and promises that the concept will be shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed... Announced in a press release today, Volkswagen has confirmed that the Golf R 400 Concept will be on show at this months Goodwood Festival of Speed. We quote... "Based on the standard Golf R hatchback, the R 400 concept ups the ante considerably, with 400PS and 450 Nm of torque - plus looks to match the performance." This is great news for R enthusiasts as it shows Volkswagens further commitment to developing the model, and gaining increased public awareness in what will be the fastest production Golf to ever roll out of Wolfsburg. The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place on the 26th, 27th and 28th of June, and the Volkswagen UK débutantes also include the Sport Coupe GTE Concept, the XL Sport as well as the 2015 Polo R WRC rally car. Of course the latter isn't a concept, but a very real car that has already seen action across the globe in the World Rally Championship... What's the betting though that there will only be one car being talked about. So, 14 days and counting. Click here to view the article