First electric VW GTI revealed at IAA

ID GTI Concept based on ID 2all, promises 'dynamic and sporty performance to the world of electric mobility'

By Matt Bird / Sunday, 3 September 2023 / Loading comments

So this is it, then: the electric VW GTI that will happen in the next few years will look a bit like this ID GTI concept. Based on the ID 2all seen earlier this year, this is another compact (4.1m long), front-drive pocket rocket which continues a GTI story that now stretches back almost 50 years. To the Mk1 Golf, lest we forget.

Only things are just a tad different this time around, for one very obvious reason – this is the first VW GTI without an engine. Nevertheless, the promise is of a car very much like those that have created the legend: ‘The ID GTI Concept is based on the ID 2all and will be built as a sports car for the electric age that is suitable for everyday use’, reads the press material. The Mini Cooper SE has a rival already, it seems. And for those pointing out that the ‘I’ is now redundant in a GTI without fuel injection, VW has an answer: it now stands for Intelligence. Yikes.

That is drive and chassis intelligence, though, and VW is talking a good game for now on the ID GTI. It will make use of the front axle diff lock seen on current fast Golfs, as well as the Vehicle Dynamics Manager that marshals all the various systems. With the added benefit, presumably, of immediate electric power (though it hasn’t been divulged just yet how much). Indeed VW reckons that because of how precisely electric power can be metered out, a whole new raft of drive profiles can be offered. They will be selectable via something called the GTI Experience Control on the dash and, in something not seen since the old Clio 200 EDC, will also offer simulated experiences of old cars. Except now they’re all Golf GTIs. So anyone behind the wheel will be able to adjust the drive system, steering, sound and simulated shift points to mimic cars like the Mk1, Mk2 and even a Mk4, which feels an odd choice given the Mk5 must also have been possible. Anyway, it makes the ID GTI Concept into a ‘highly dynamic time machine’. Okay.

If the driving experience looks set to be firmly from the future, then tradition is certainly respected when it comes to the look of the GTI. Note the red surround for the honeycomb grille, the familiar font for the badge, chunky arches, big wheels out at each corner, a rear spoiler familiar from recent Golf GTIs and a matt black front splitter like a Mk1. The Diamond Silver Metallic seen here is also a Mk1 colour. VW says the ID GTI Concept ‘includes clear and powerful proportions and the visual stability of a body standing confidently on its wheels.’

Heritage is celebrated inside, too. Without a gearknob to dimple like a golf ball, that treatment is now applied to the GTI Experience Control dial. In addition, all 10.9 inches of the GTI Digital Cockpit can be set to a Vintage mode that makes it look just like a Mk1 Pirelli dash. There’s some tartan trim too, of course, now called Jack-e (where it was called Jacky in a Mk6 GTI). The infotainment touch display is already said to be almost production ready and – praise be – ‘the main air conditioning functions are controlled here using illuminated buttons’. Told you they were keen on the old days.

The augmented reality head-up display might be a step too far now for a junior EV, but that tech is certainly coming. For the ID GTI Concept, it offers up information for driver and passenger, including a track map in GTI mode if the car recognises circuit driving. And the passenger can see lap times, which seems a surefire way to get them egging the driver on into an accident. More relevantly for a production ID GTI is the assurance of a low centre of gravity and (allegedly) lightweight for an EV that makes this car ‘perfect for driving on racetracks’.

When VW issues a concept car press release with information like boot capacity (490l-1,300l) and tyre sizes (245/35 R20), it’s clear that the car in question isn’t some far-flung fantasy. There’s going to be an ID 2all very soon and there’s going to be a GTI version of it that very closely resembles this very car. With what we know so far, there’s some cause to be reasonably excited. After all, who better to reinvent the GTI than the original creators of it?

Thomas Schäfer, VW CEO, added: “With the ID. GTI Concept, we are transporting the GTI DNA into the electric age. It remains sporty, iconic, technologically progressive and accessible, but now has a new interpretation for tomorrow’s world: electric, fully connected and extremely emotive. Here, driving pleasure and sustainability are a perfect match. This means GTI has a future – for our brand and for the fans. Production has already been decided as part of our electric offensive. A Volkswagen sports car for the electric age that is suitable for everyday driving: 100 per cent electric – 100 per cent emotion.” It’s a big promise alright – expect to find out if VW can deliver within the next couple of years.

ID GTI Concept based on ID 2all, promises 'dynamic and sporty performance to the world of electric mobility'

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