Front with new lighting design. The exteriors of new Golf GTI and Golf GTI Clubsport differ from each other due to their independently designed front bumpers and roof spoilers. Both models are now equipped with newly developed and designed LED Plus headlights. Their design has been made more linear and visually more striking; the headlight housings now merge visually with the radiator grille towards the inside. A horizontal LED strip in the radiator grille is used as standard; above this, there is the red line characteristic for the Golf GTI – a GTI feature that dates back to the radiator grille surround of the first Golf GTI from 1976. For the first time, the Volkswagen logo at the front is also illuminated. The V and W as well as the circle around the letters are framed by fine light contours on the outside and inside. The illuminated Volkswagen logo and the new LED headlights create an unmistakeable Golf light design. Another lighting highlight is the latest version of the IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, which is available as an option. As a first, these are equipped with a high-performance main beam that has a range of around half a kilometre – which is significantly further than a conventional main beam headlight.
Front aprons as a differentiating feature. Below the headlights, the Golf GTI and Golf GTI Clubsport each have their own unique look. The 265 PS GTI is characterised by painted air deflectors (wings) in the outer area of the bumper – these are flat towards the inside and rise outwards. Also painted in the vehicle colour is the front spoiler between the wings, which is designed as a splitter in motorsport style. In the outer area of the honeycomb radiator grille (matt black) integrated into the bumper, the Golf GTI has optional x-shaped front fog lights on the left and right. These comprise five LEDs in the honeycomb design characteristic for GTI models. The entire air intake, including wings and front splitter, is surrounded by a matt black application. The Golf GTI Clubsport differs from the Golf GTI here in that it has larger wings that are shaped as arrows towards the inside. The front spoiler, radiator grille in the bumper and surrounding applications are finished in high-gloss black.
Rear end with new LED taillight clusters. At the rear, the newly developed LED taillight clusters are the new common interface of both Golf GTI versions. In conjunction with the IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, new 3D LED taillight clusters with a dynamic indicating function are also optionally available. Their welcome and goodbye scenarios can be customised using the vehicle settings (on the infotainment system). There are a choice of three different settings. The Golf GTI is characterised by a completely closed roof spoiler with the top side painted in the vehicle colour and a black underside. The Golf GTI Clubsport has a significantly larger spoiler – this is open towards the roof apart from a narrow rib so that air flows through it. Here, the outer area is finished in high-gloss black. The downforce values of both spoilers have been adapted to the respective performance of the two GTI models. The tailpipes of the exhaust system are a distinctive feature in the lower area. The Golf GTI and the Golf GTI Clubsport are equipped with a twin-pipe system, with a tailpipe located on the left and right sides of the rear diffuser. An Akrapovič sports exhaust system will be available for the Golf GTI Clubsport as part of the Race package (optional). The trim below the painted surfaces at the rear and the diffuser is finished in matt black on the Golf GTI and in high-gloss black on the Golf GTI Clubsport.
Side view with new 19-inch wheels. When seen as a silhouette, the new GTI models can be recognised by the three individual red-on-chrome letters GTI in the area of the A-pillars. The predecessors had a narrow badge here. There are differences in the configurations of the two Golf GTI’s wheels: the Golf GTI is equipped as standard with the 17-inch version of the Richmond alloy wheel, while the Golf GTI Clubsport leaves the Wolfsburg plant with a visually distinctive and diamond-cut 18-inch version of the Richmond wheel rim. Various other 19-inch wheels are optionally available for both GTI versions. A completely new development is the Queenstown alloy wheel available for both models. With its striking design of five oval semi-circles, this evokes the classic Detroit wheel, which was introduced for the fifth-generation Golf GTI. The new wheel rim features high-gloss polished surfaces on black inner surfaces. The Golf GTI Clubsport can also be configured with the completely newly developed 19-inch Warmenau forged wheel. With a weight of only eight kilogrammes per rim, the forged wheels are around 20 per cent lighter than comparable alloy wheels – this reduces the unsprung masses. Between the wheels of both models are black side member extensions. These are finished in matt black in the Golf GTI and in high-gloss black in the Golf GTI Clubsport, matching the front and rear trim design. In addition, the Clubsport is individualised by means of wrap applications above the side members.