Volkswagen is doing it again with the Golf GTI: an affordable, fun and devilishly tempting little sports car, now 100% electric. One of the stars of the IAA show in Munich, here is the Volkswgen ID. GTI Concept which foreshadows the future ID.2 GTI.
In 1976, Volkswagen made a big splash. The successor to the Beetle, a popular car par excellence, is the Golf, designed by the famous Italian designer Giorgietto Giugiaro. The Wolfsburg brand offers it a sporty version stamped with the three magic letters GTI. Here is a high-performance car, fun to drive and affordable, easily recognizable by a few gimmicks designed to distinguish it from the rest of the range.
Red edging, spoiler and wing extensions in raw black plastic, logos, specific rims and inside, Scottish seat upholstery and a golf ball as a gear lever knob. Under the hood, a 4-cylinder 1.6 of 110 hp, enough to offer great benefits to this car of… 800 kilos. And offer him incredible success.
Here is the first electric GTI
In 2023: Volkswagen will take back the legendary GTI badge for the first time on its 100% electric ID range. It’s the little ID. 2all planned for less than 25,000 euros which provides the ideal basis for this modern-day compact sports car. Remember that this small 4.10 m sedan presented at the start of the year was designed to start under 25,000 euros and thus become the brand’s first real popular (literally “Volkswagen” in German) electric car.
Its design, under the influence of the new design boss, Andreas Mindt, is far from the latest achievements of VW. Cuter, muscular, with a strong identity, it constitutes an ideal base for a vitaminized version. It is this ID. GTI Concept which is one of the stars of the Munich Motor and Mobility Show.
The essential set
The recipe uses the ingredients of the original GTI. So the designers have added here to the body panels taken from the ID. 2all visibly sportier front and rear bumpers, applied fender flares still in raw plastic and designed a massive roof spoiler. Attractive, well posed, and with a special sauce that gives it all its flavor, such is the brief posed by A. Mindt. The designers had fun handing out a few Easter eggs, like the inscription “Shut trunk before flight” (close the trunk before taking off) hidden under the rear spoiler.
A multi-atmosphere cabin
In the cockpit, of course, the designers got loose too. They gave us detailed sketches and animations of the work done. First, access on board is via a small physical box that is housed in the steering wheel and comes alive visually. The upper part of the steering wheel is translucent, while two screens display different graphic universes according to the driver’s wishes.
You can switch from Silver Drive mode at the start to Red Turbo Mode, or even GTI Turbo for an atmosphere racing. It includes a display of the car in 3D according to the G of lateral acceleration and the drawing of the circuit on which you are driving. It is planned to be able to win medals, video game style. In another style, you can also go completely in retro mode, with needle counters, a black and white LCD display and, in the central screen, a… cassette player.
The seats have a heart sensor which makes it possible to perceive the emotions felt at the wheel, materialized by a luminous heart. Chic. Physical feedback is given by vibrations in the seats to underline the dynamic aspects of the car, still in a very video game spirit. In all, two screens and a head-up display distribute driving and entertainment information (but isn’t that the same thing in such a car?).
250 hp to play?
If the final technical sheet is not issued to date, we can expect a power significantly higher than that of the ID. 2all (226 hp), still on the same MEB Entry platform in traction.
Imagine about 250 hp with a front engine and traction aided by the intervention of an electro-mechanical differential and an active DCC suspension. This is enough to give good performance to this bombinette, which will face the future Alpine A290 based on Renault 5 electric. The soundtrack will naturally be worked to go with the GTI DNA, a bit like the Abarth 500e.
Autonomy and charging
On the battery side, the manufacturer is not more verbose, but let’s recall here the data concerning the ID. 2all. It is designed for a maximum theoretical WLTP autonomy of 450 kilometers, its battery can be recharged from 10 to 80% in 20 minutes in DC with a charging power of up to 125 kW thanks to a controlled charging curve.
Called ID.2 GTI, this car that we can’t wait to drive is only scheduled for a presentation at the end of 2025, with a marketing probably for 2026, or even 2027. The time will seem long!
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