Almost 48 years ago, the first Volkswagen Golf GTI model came out in Germany. Fifty years later, we’re getting the German company’s first groundbreaking all-electric racing hatchback. The new Volkswagen ID GTI concept car has many of the same features as the ID2all all-electric concept tiny hatchback, which was already out and well-liked but seemed to have little chance in the United States. Here’s what we know about the new E.V. hot car so far, but we’ll have to wait and see if V.W. plans to bring this new GTI to the U.S. Volkswagen has said that the ID4 EV SUV, the I.D. Buzz E.V. van and the ID7 EV car will be sold in the U.S. All of them are built on the MEB platform, and the ID2all was constructed on a cut-down version. V.W. hasn’t said when or where the production version of the new ID GTI Concept, which is built on the same chassis and has front-wheel drive, will be launched. V.W. has already checked this. The “I” in “GTI” no longer stands for “injection” but for “intelligence,” which is a reference to the Vehicle Dynamics Manager computer on board. The ID GTI will also have an electrically controlled front-axle differential lock. This feature was taken from the current-generation Golf. A press release says that with the VDM, “for the first time, it is possible to adjust the drive system, running gear, steering, sound, and even the simulated shift points in the style of a classic GTI model” like the 1976 Golf GTI, 1986’s 16-valve Mark 2, or 2001’s Golf GTI Mark 4 “25 years of GTI.” The news release says that the concept car is a “time machine,” which, while not natural, sounds very interesting. The ID GTI Concept is slightly longer than the ID2all, which it is built on. It is 161.6 inches long, has a 102.4-inch wheelbase, is 59 inches tall, and is 72.4 inches wide. It has 245/35 performance tires on 20-inch aluminum metal wheels. V.W. used to say that the ID2all has as much space inside as a Golf but is smaller overall because of how well the all-electric base packs things in. The ID GTI Concept has a red nose line and logo typical of the GTI brand. It also has a front light bar that shines behind a lit-up V.W. sign. Red tow points, a black front spoiler, and an intake like the fifth-generation GTI are also on the front. Designed to resemble “the Pirelli rim from the Mark 1 Golf GTI and the Denver rim from the Golf GTI Mark 5,” the glossy black eight-spoke wheel has matte black wheel arches. In the back, a super wide LED third brake light is on top of the black roof spoiler, which also has black “air guides” on the sides of the rear window. The blacked-out back parts also trick your eyes, making you think of the first GTI’s black window trim and hood. The ID GTI Concept has some unique features on the inside as well. Now that there is a column shifter, the multifunctional GTI Experience Control in the center panel, which controls driving profiles, has become like a golf ball. The digital cockpit and display can be set up in many different ways, including a “Vintage” mode that looks like the equipment of the Mark 2 Golf G.T. A new head-up display that uses virtual reality could show information to both the driver and the passenger. It can also show the driving track you’re on, like the German Nürburgring, and your current place in a race (assuming all the other cars are linked in some way; the exact method is unknown at this time). Unlike previous versions of I.D., the new 12.9-inch navigation screen will have LED buttons that you can touch to control the music and air conditioning. Of course, the new sports seats are covered in a reinterpreted GTI plaid design called “Jackie,” based on the “Jacky” label used for the Mark 6 Golf GTI material. Also, the packaging options from the ID2all concept have been carried over. There is a second storage box under the luggage compartment, which already has 17.3 cubic feet of space and more storage with charging capabilities under the back bench seat. This is great for hiding a charging laptop while the car is parked. When the three-across seats in the back are folded down, there is an extra 40.7 cubic feet of room for cargo. Volkswagen didn’t say how much power or far the ID2all could go, but the single e-motor in the front was said to have 233 horsepower and 280 miles of range. Again, we are still determining if this will ever be sold in the U.S., which seems unlikely since the ID2all wasn’t made for our market, which is based on it. But, hey, we’d love a performance-focused electric car.
