Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The ID.Polo's Time to ShineFor the longest time, it was the Golf that got most of the sweet high-performance treatment from Volkswagen. There have been countless over the years, and we're not just talking about GTIs and Rs.As for the Polo, there have been few and far between. Some shining examples include the GT and G40, and let's not forget how it bagged four straight World Rally Championship titles for Volkswagen. Given its success in motorsport, one would think there would be a turbocharged all-wheel-drive model in the same vein as Toyota's small and spicy GR Yaris.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe ID. Polo made its world premiere recently, and a few impressions of the GTI version have been made as well. This time around, it seems the subcompact hatchback is finally getting more attention on the performance front. That's because the company has confirmed an even hotter version.VolkswagenComing Soon: The ID.Polo GTI 'Clubsport'Autocar wasn't just able to have first dibs on the ID. Polo GTI, the British publication, also managed to scoop an incoming model that will sit above it. As confirmed by Florian Umbach, the head of vehicle dynamics for Volkswagen, the company is prepping an even hotter version of its latest subcompact EV.The engineer was quoted as saying, "We are working on something. There is certainly more peak power that we can find from the motor and battery hardware that we have and more torque that the front axle could handle also. There is clear potential."There is no official name for it yet, but Autocar has given it the tentative name 'Clubsport'. Historically, that has been reserved for more track-focused versions of the Golf GTI, sitting between the standard hot hatch and the R.VolkswagenWhat to ExpectThat wasn't the only thing mentioned in the report. It was also said that power could rise to as much as 280 hp (or more), making it more powerful than a regular Golf GTI. For reference, the ID. Polo GTI makes 223 hp and 214 lb-ft, all of which are sent to the front wheels.AdvertisementAdvertisementHyundai must have done something really well for more automakers to develop their own simulated manual modes. Volkswagen will be no exception, as it will deliver "a similar kind of paddleshift power delivery that the Hyundai N cars have." The additional power will be care of a software upgrade, and there will be piped-in sounds to a more enhanced experience behind the wheel.For now, there is no exact launch date for the so-called ID. Polo GTI Clubsport. That said, we'll have to wait for the regular GTI to make its world premiere before we start counting down the days until the hotter version's premiere. Then again, Volkswagen could surprise us all by launching the GTI and 'Clubsport' at the same time.Wilco Blok/InstagramThis story was originally published by Autoblog on May 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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