The VW ID GTI Is A Bit More Like It

Thus far, Volkswagen hasn’t really produced a ‘true’ performance EV for the road. The GTX sub-brand it revived for more powerful versions of the ID.4 and ID.5 felt more like a trim level, and each was underwhelming to drive. This new ID. GTI concept, though, looks a lot more like it.

We wondered what the future was of GTI in light of the new GTX badge, but the Munich IAA show car hints that VW is committed to it even in light of the incoming EV age. It says the I in the name now stands not for ‘injection’, but ‘intelligence’.

The starting point for the car is the ID 2all concept, for which VW is targeting a starting price of about €25,000 (just under £21,500) when the production version arrives. 

The GTI concept looks to be entirely realistic - aside from those super slim wing mirrors, we’re not seeing much that VW would have to bin to bring the car to market. Even the ride height is sensible, and the wheels are a perfectly acceptable size at 20 inches in diameter, wrapped in 245mm-wide Pirelli P Zero tyres.

The wheels themselves are a fresh design for the car, featuring eight double spokes and “a striking circle of eight openings”. VW compares them to other distinctive Golf GTI wheel designs, like the MkI GTI’s Pirelli P-Slots and the MkV GTI’s Denver rims. They go nicely with the matte black wheel arch claddings and side skirts that hark back to the Mk1 and Mk2 GTIs.

At the front, there’s a new bumper featuring a honeycomb lower ‘grille’ (inverted commas as it’s blanked off), flashy red tow hooks, a new lighting signature and air curtains that tidy up the flow around the wheels. At the other end, there’s a double-element diffuser, 3D light clusters, a VW badge lit up in red, and an air curtain/spoiler combo reminiscent of what’s found on the Mk7 and Mk8 GTI Clubsport models, plus the Mk7 GTI TCR.

Inside, there’s a square-ish steering wheel with a round middle section in a nod to the original Golf GTI. There’s yet more honeycomb detailing, many splashes of red, and specific GTI graphics for the instrument cluster and infotainment display. There are no ‘Clark Plaid’ tartan seats (boo), but those are referenced via some stripes.

There are no performance figures for the ID GTI concept (the press release is generally pretty light on technical detail), but VW has at least said it’s powered by a single motor at the front axle, rather than a dual-motor setup. That motor drives the front wheels via an electronically controlled locking differential. You also get simulated gearshifts, which we're not sure how we feel about. 

Like what you see? You will eventually be able to buy one “Production has already been decided as part of our electric offensive,” VW CEO Thomas Schäfer said. Given the low target price for the ID 2all, it might end up being the most affordable performance EV we’ve yet seen.