In a one-two punch, Volkswagen recently announced that the 2024 GTI will be the last to feature a manual transmission as an option. And, now, Volkswagen is going to debut an all-electric GTI concept at the 2023 IAA Mobility in Munich.
If you have the sense that the world is changing and you aren’t, you are by no means alone.
In step with Volkswagen’s other EVs, the ID. GTI Concept is “100 percent electric, 100 percent GTI,” a concept that follows the original 1976 GTI formula with state-of-the-art technologies and sharp design.” It’s been 48 years since that original pocket rocket debuted at the IAA in Frankfurt (the long-time location for the international automotive event until several years ago), believe it or not, and the ID. GTI Concept is what Volkswagen suggests is the first glimpse of the GTI’s future as it’s already been approved for production.
“The perfect combination of driving pleasure and everyday usability — that is what the GTI letters have meant for decades,” says Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen. “With this 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 … The ID. GTI Concept is a Volkswagen sports car for the electric age that is suitable for everyday driving: 100 percent electric, 100 percent emotion.”
The ID. GTI Concept is based on the ID. 2all concept that first appeared this past March, which lends the GTI its long 102.4-inch wheelbase, compact 161.6-inch length, 72.4-inch width, and 59-inch height. The features the familiar red radiator grille surround, though spanning the entire width below the headlights (which will look familiar to those who have seen the ID.4 on our streets). The Volkswagen badge is illuminated in white.
As the EV architecture helps give the ID. GTI Concept a low center of gravity, it should be adept at driving on racetracks like the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife. Volkswagen has implemented a course display on the far left of the windshield, which includes the current position in a field of vehicles. Additionally, the front passenger can see the current lap times that have been completed. Are the wheels and tires up to the task? Maybe they took a back seat to heritage and style because the concept features the Pirelli rim from the Mark 1 Golf GTI and the Denver rim from the Golf GTI Mark 5.
If you are familiar with the Mark 1 Golf GTI, you will recognize the plaid sports seats, three-spoke steering wheel, and golf-ball shifter. More nods to heritage are reflected in the digital display: in Vintage mode, the 10.9-inch digital cockpit is transformed into the instrumentation of the same Mark 1 Golf GTI or another generation.
A new approach to the heads-up display has been designed to create an augmented reality head-up display. According to Volkswagen, it projects a new data set onto the windshield for both driver and passenger, merging real and virtual worlds.
The 2023 IAA Mobility is open now and runs through September 9th.
