Volkswagen lifts the veil on its new, somewhat special electric car. This is the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer GTX. In other words, a car in station wagon format, equipped with the most powerful (and most efficient) engine available from Volkswagen. With, as a bonus, the largest battery available. What makes us forget about SUVs? And why not.
We already know the Volkswagen ID.7: the large 100% electric sedan from the German manufacturer with its great autonomy. We also know the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer: the station wagon version, also 100% electric, with a huge trunk, enough to make SUVs look like small cars.
But now a new version has appeared: the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer GTX. If you followed correctly, this is a 100% electric station wagon. The name GTX designates a high performance version, both in terms of the motor and the battery. A name that we already know with the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX electric SUVs.
One more engine for the 4MOTION
We start with the heart of the matter: the performance of this new car. It features the new 210 kW (286 hp) AP550 engine, on the rear axle, as on the classic version, but also the AKA150 engine on the front axle. The latter develops 80 kW (109 hp), bringing the total to 250 kW (340 hp). This is 40 kW (54 hp) more than on the more “civilized” ID.7.
The good news is that this extra power is almost painless on energy consumption. In fact, the second motor (on the front axle) is of the permanent magnet asynchronous type. When it is in standby (for example, at stabilized speed), it adds almost no power consumption.
When conditions are right, the second engine comes into play, making the ID.7 Tourer GTX an all-wheel drive car called Dual-Motor 4MOTION. Enough to improve the handling, especially since the running gear has been reworked for the occasion, including the arrival of reinforced stabilizer bars, the re-configured DCC suspension and an ESC sport mode.
Small bonus: the excess power allows you to tow up to 1,400 kg (compared to 1,000 kg on the propulsion version).
A new battery for autonomy
The other good news is that the new Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer GTX comes with a battery with a higher capacity than the classic Pro version. We thus go from 77 to 86 kWh of net capacity (and 91 gross kWh instead of 82 kWh). Unfortunately, the German manufacturer does not announce the autonomy, but it is a safe bet that it will be higher compared to the version with the smaller battery.
It is estimated a range of at least 650 km on the WLTP mixed approval cycle. As a reminder, the ID.7 Tourer Pro S, not yet available, equipped with the same battery, but with a single motor (AP550), announces up to 685 km of theoretical autonomy.
Charging is not left out, with a maximum power of 200 kW. Which allows, according to the German manufacturer, to refuel from 10 to 80% “ significantly under the 30 minute mark“.
A slightly revised design
Like any self-respecting GTX, this ID.7 Tourer incorporates new redesigned bumpers, new 20-inch aluminum rims as well as illuminated “VW” logos at the front and rear of the vehicle. Like what is already done in the United States on certain models of the brand. Special 21-inch rims will be available later.
The interior is also slightly different from the more modest version, with specific seats, equipped with a perforated GTX monogram on the backrests, red stitching on the steering wheel, and red edging everywhere.
For the rest, the car includes all the technical characteristics and options of the station wagon in the Pro version. We therefore find this immense trunk (605 to 1,714 liters depending on the seating arrangement), the famous “magic” Smart Glass panoramic roof as well as numerous driving aids allowing level 2 semi-autonomous driving to be announced.
Price and availability
At the moment, we do not yet know the price. But it should be quite salty. As a reminder, the ID.7 Tourer Pro and its 77 kWh battery starts from 58,990 euros in France.
Presales are announced for spring, without further details. The most surprising thing about all of this is that Volkswagen has not yet lifted the veil on the ID.7 sedan in GTX version. However, we have been waiting for the latter for many months.