Volkswagen ID. GTI Concept – We’ve Been Waiting

By Edward A. Sanchez — Sept. 5, 2023

The original Volkswagen Golf (or Rabbit, if you lived in the U.S.) GTI was the genesis of the term “hot hatch,” a performance variant of an otherwise unremarkable quotidian automotive appliance. Dozens of competitors and variations have since emerged from various corners of the world. Some have come and gone, but since its introduction more than 45 years ago, the Golf GTI has been in production consistently.

In that time, it has gone through many iterations and variations, including the high-performance, all-wheel-drive Golf R, which debuted with the fourth-generation model, and has continued since. With the debut of the ID. GTI concept, VW’s quintessential “hot hatch” is about to undergo its most significant transformation yet: full electrification.

While the ID. GTI is just a concept, considering its lineage, it’s highly likely this make make it to production. We just don’t know when.

To be clear, as it currently stands, the ID. GTI is “just” a concept, like the ID2. all was when it was introduced, of which the GTI variant is based. Like the ID2. all, the GTI variant is front-wheel-drive – a feature that is unlike the ID.3, ID.4, and ID.Buzz. Output figures for the electric motor are undisclosed, but the ID2. all has a rated output of 166 kW, or 223 hp, suggesting the GTI will have a higher output. Helping to put the power to the ground is a an electronically controlled front differential.

The ID. GTI stays true to recent ICE Golf body lines.

In a nod to its forebears, the ID2. all GTI features an “Experience Control” function which VW claims can emulate the experience from the original 1976 model, the 1986 Mk2, or the 2001 25th Anniversary edition. Since it no longer has a traditional gear shifter, the GTI’s iconic “golf ball” shift knob has transitioned to the control knob for the driving modes.

A rendering of the ID. GTI’s interior shows a traditional EV dash and display layout. We’ll ignore the augmented reality display for the time being.

Being based on the ID2. all, the GTI shares the same basic dimensions, with a 161.6 inch overall length and 102.4 inch wheelbase. To help it live up to its performance promise, the GTI is equipped with meaty 245/35-R20 tires.

One of the key appeals of the Golf and GTI has always been their hatchback practicality, and that trait remains intact, with 17.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and a total of 47 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. There is also a 1.8 cubic foot storage area under the rear seat, designed to store EV-specific accessories such as charging cables. This lockable storage area can also hold valuables.

While both the ID2. all and the GTI are still just concepts for the moment, it’s encouraging to see that VW understands the brand equity the GTI still has with its customers. Indeed, it and the Golf R (arguably a variant of the GTI) are the only Golf models it still sells in the U.S. The moniker has defined the term “hot hatch” for more than four decades, and it looks like it will continue to into the EV age.

(Images courtesy Volkswagen)