Volkswagen unveils ID.GTI Concept: To enter production in 2027

The new ID.GTI concept car previews the future of the GTI badge in the electric era.

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off its new ID.GTI Concept at the IAA Motor Show in Munich, Germany. The new ID.GTI concept car previews the future of the GTI badge in the electric era. The ID.GTI concept is based on the ID.2all concept, but comes with a number of noticeable tweaks to the design, featuring a more sportier character.

Volkswagen has confirmed that the ID.GTI concept will enter production. The production-spec version will debut in 2026, with the actual production of the all-electric hot hatch scheduled to begin in 2027.

Coming to the Concept, the basic proportions of the ID.GTI remain unchanged from the ID.2all. However, the GTI-badged concept comes with a more aggressive styling. This includes a revised front and rear bumper, a larger air dam & splitter, sportier side sills and wheel-arch extensions, a roof-mounted spoiler and a prominent diffuser at the rear. The concept also carries over the red accents, characteristic of the GTI models. These red accents are seen on the enclosed grille, lower part of the bumper and via the GTI badges on the fenders.

Inside, the concept retains the minimalist layout as seen on the ID.2all. This includes a three-spoke steering wheel, a digital instrument cluster and a 12.9-inch central touchscreen display. In addition to this though, the ID.GTI borrows design inputs from the original GTI, including the golf-ball-like finish on the drive-mode selector, a 12 o'clock mark on the steering wheel, unique sports seats with chequered inlays and illuminated pulse sensors on the driver seat. The GTI concept also features a head-up display with unique graphics.

Volkswagen is yet to announce the powertrain specifications of the GTI concept. However, the carmaker had previously announced the ID.2all concept to get 233 BHP and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of under 7 seconds. Hence, expect the GTI version to better these numbers by a fair margin.

Thomas Schafer, CEO, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, stated, "With the ID. GTI Concept, we are taking the GTI DNA into the electric age. It remains sporty, iconic, technologically progressive, and accessible, but now with a new interpretation for tomorrow’s world: electric, fully connected, and extremely emotive."