Well, that didn’t take long. Shortly after introducing the ID. GTI Concept at the 2023 IAA Mobility in Munich, Volkswagen has announced a production version is already planned. CEO Thomas Schäfer told Autocar and Top Gear a road-going model will debut in 2026 before going on sale at the beginning of 2027. Since the electric hot hatch is still years away, there’s not much in the way of technical specifications but at least we know it’s coming.
We do know it’s getting a front electronic locking differential adapted from the traditional GTI and GTI Clubsport. The production model should be roughly the same size as the concept, which is 161.5 inches (4104 millimeters) long, 72.4 in (1840 mm) wide, and 59 in (1499 mm) tall, with a wheelbase of 102.3 in (2600 mm). The showcar in Munich is slightly bigger in all directions than the Polo supermini while remaining smaller than the Golf.
The ID. GTI Concept was introduced precisely 48 years after the original Golf GTI and “series development has already been decided” for its spiritual electric successor. It’s going to be a front-wheel-drive performance hatch, presumably with well over 200 horsepower considering the regular ID.2all Concept upon which the GTI is based (MEB Entry platform) already had a healthy 223 hp. The regular electric hatch will be out in 2025, so it makes sense to show the spicy variant a year later.
Speaking of the three famous letters, “I” will also stand for “intelligence” aside from “injection.” As to why the amped-up ID.2 won’t bear the “GTX” moniker, VW design boss Andreas Mindt says GTX will be used for all-wheel-drive electric sporty cars positioned below higher-performing R-badged EVs. GTI will remain front-wheel drive in the zero-emission era.
Curiously, VW isn’t saying anything about the new GTI logo trademarked earlier this year with the letter “I” replaced by a lightning bolt. It’s unclear whether the subsequent production version of the concept will have it or not.
Electric hot hatches are already a thing, with relevant examples being the Abarth 500e and MG4 XPower. The Renault 5 is getting an Alpine version and MINI is working on an electric John Cooper Works.
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