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2016 VW GTI Clubsport is a new breed of forbidden fruit

And this, friends, is the closest we'll ever get to the Volkswagen GTI Clubsport. As we were sad to report, this middle child between the standard GTI and the high-performance Golf R will not be coming to our shores, no matter how much we beg and plead. For those that need a refresher, the Clubsport was inspired by a concept originally shown at Worhtersee earlier this year. Its positioning means it's up on power – there are 261 (probably underrated) horsepower in this compact – although mum's the word on any upgrades to the suspension. As we previously noted, the extra 51 hp over stock will get the mid-level hot hatch to 60 in just 5.9 seconds, if you opt for the dual-clutch automatic, or an even six seconds with the manual trans. Loathe as we are to admit it, aside from the extra horsepower, most of the stuff about the Clubsport appears to be aesthetic. The body kit is all new and significantly more aggressive than the what's found on the GTI, while new 18-inch wheels are standard, although 19s can be optioned. Also larger, the twin chrome exhaust tips. In the cabin, there are far more aggressive sport seats, which are quite simply too cool to be sold in the US (just kidding, it's probably some silly federal regulation). We just had to mosey on down to the Volkswagen stand and check out the new GTI Clubsport. You can view all of our shots of the new hatch up top. Related Video:

VW boss confirms Subaru-aping Golf Alltrack for US

Subaru needs to watch out, because the Japanese brand with a utilitarian image has a big bull's eye on its back. Not only is Acura considering going 100-percent all-wheel drive in a bid to mimic the successful automaker, Volkswagen has just confirmed that the Golf Alltrack is coming to the US as another competitor for Subaru's popular Outback crossover. Volkswagen Group of America CEO Michael Horn has confirmed the addition of the higher-riding, all-wheel drive version of the Golf SportWagen to Automotive News, indicating that the model will arrive in the US in 2016. "That's what our dealers, our customers, are asking us for," he said to the industry publication. The Golf Alltrack, which debuted at the Paris Motor Show in early October, has an extra 0.75 inches of ride height and protective black cladding all the way around. Its biggest mechanical differentiator from other Golfs is its Haldex all-wheel drive system, a setup that can completely unhook from the rear axle when not needed to save fuel. In Europe, the Alltrack is available with a turbocharged 1.8-liter with 178 horsepower and two diesels offering between 109hp and 182 hp. However, Horn made no mention of likely powertrains for the US. Horn tells Automotive News that all-wheel drive tooling is currently being installed at the Puebla, Mexico, factory where the standard Golf Sportwagen is built. VW might have tipped its hand about this possibility several months ago when press shots of the wagon were released for the US with TDI and 4Motion badges. Horn says he expects even the front-wheel drive version to be a sales hit here, suggesting it may eventually account for 50 percent of the Golf range's volume.

Audi, Fiat squabbling over numbers and letters

There have been rumors and speculation and prognostications about a Nissan Juke- and Mini Cooper-fighting Audi Q2 since 2012. There have been the same for a performance-oriented Q4 since 2011, perhaps previewed by the TT Offroad concept shown last year at the Beijing Motor Show. Turns out that those two alphanumeric combos are the only ones missing from the series Q1 to Q9 in Audi's trademark stable, and the Ingolstadt company wants to get them to make its badge sequence and crossover lineup complete. But Fiat owns them, and rumor is, CEO Sergio Marchionne appears to have no interest in selling them. Fiat has used the Q2 and Q4 like trim badges, identifying whether a company product has two-wheel or all-wheel drive. They did it with the Alfa Romeo 159 sedan, and they do it now on the Maserati Quattroporte S and Ghibli S Q4 sedans. Car magazine says Marchionne "may not be categorically opposed to selling the rights," but he absolutely won't do it to any fiefdom in the Volkswagen empire, which would leave Audi a jilted suitor. Why is Sergio being so serious? VW Group CEO Ferdinand Piech first starting waving torches on the bridge between the two companies when he said Alfa Romeo could sell four times as many cars if Volkswagen owned it, then burned the bridge when it continued to publicize its desire to buy Alfa Romeo. VW followed that up by throwing salt on the land around the destroyed bridge with its aggressive pricing in Europe during the worst of the car sales slump there, which Marchionne said was causing a "bloodbath." VW's final flourish was to set the river itself on fire, when a press officer said Marchionne wasn't qualified to head the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and VW would quit the organization if he did take the top spot. That is why, putting it optimistically, Audi looks to have a grim chance of getting the Q2 and Q4 marques from the Italian. So long as he is in power, at least: Marchionne said he's walking away from the job in 2018. Audi might have a better chance bending the knee to, and generously rewarding, his successor. Featured Gallery Audi TT Offroad Concept: Beijing 2014 View 16 Photos News Source: CarImage Credit: Live images copyright 2015 Chris Paukert / AOL Government/Legal Audi Fiat Volkswagen Crossover Luxury Sergio Marchionne trademark volkswagen group