• Volkswagen presented the ID.GTI concept yesterday at the Munich Motor Show.
Volkswagen has unveiled the future ID. GTI electric vehicle in concept form. The model is based on another prototype the company previously presented, the ID 2, but the new concept is decidedly sportier in every respect.
And this time, there's no need to speculate about a possible production version - it's already on the Volkswagen calendar.
Design of the Volkswagen ID.GTI
The first notable element about the design is the set of 20-inch wheels, which add a lot of character to the model. We can expect some production versions will be fitted with smaller rims, in order to offer more range, but it's easy to imagine the sporty version with these rims.
For the rest, it's hard not to see a Golf in this hatchback. Its signature is resolutely modern, with tapering headlamps joined by a light strip, flanked by the Volkswagen logo, which may well be illuminated here (that feature is forbidden in Europe). The two vertical lines at the ends, in place of the fog lights, are also very striking.
At the rear, the black spoiler and overall styling are reminiscent of the Ioniq 5. The lower part of the body, as well as the all-black lower flanks, offer an interesting contrast with the rest of the body.
Smaller than a Golf GTI
In terms of dimensions, this ID. GTI is smaller than the current Golf GTI. The concept is 160.4 inches n length and its wheelbase is 100.7 inches (whereas the Golf GTI is 168.8 inches long and has a wheelbase of 103.4 inches. The new car is, however, slightly taller (1.4 inches). Result, the interior is more spacious, the cargo volume a tad smaller.
On board, remember this is a concept so things will probably change. The steering wheel could take on more traditional shapes than those shown here, and the windscreen here has a full-surface head-up display that will probably make it intact to the production model. We're guessing that the two big screens, one grouping driver info and the other the multimedia interface, will be part of the production model.
Will Volkswagen honour its commitment not to use touch-sensitive buttons for all vehicle controls? We shall see. Volkswagen was heavily criticized at the launch of the current Golf GTI and Golf R, and promised a return to more conventional controls. To be continued...
Missing right now is information about the powertrain. The configuration is front-wheel drive, but we know that with an electric model, you're always, practically, one motor away from being able to offer all-wheel drive. The company mentioned that the model is equipped with a system that simulates gear changes and sounds designed to reproduce the music of vintage GTIs.
Coming to North America?
No date has yet been set for marketing the model. The big question is whether this car will cross the Atlantic. We know that SUVs rule here, but there's definitely a market for a small electric car like this, especially at a more attractive price.
We'll be keeping a close eye on it.
