The Volkswagen ID.GTI could be the hot hatch that changes everything
The ID.GTI Concept previews a future compact electric hot hatch, and we've taken a look at the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours
Volkswagen’s performance cars are split into three groups: GTI, R and GTX. The GTX badge has been exclusively reserved for the firm’s warmed-up EVs, but now, a new direction will see the iconic GTI moniker being applied to its electric cars. Following its launch in 2023, we've taken a closer look at the ID.GTI during the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Taking the ID.2all supermini as a base, the ID.GTI Concept previews a forthcoming electric hot hatch aimed squarely at the Alpine A290 and Mini’s Cooper SE. A production version of the ID.2all is set to arrive later this year with a starting price of around £21,500, and the GTI version is being designed to bring affordable EV performance to the masses...
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That’s not to say it won’t house an advanced suite of tech. Built on Volkswagen’s MEB Entry platform (a derivative of the architecture found in the ID.3), the ID.GTI signals a new philosophy for the firm’s performance cars that centres around software-based drive systems to conjure a unique dynamic character. Indeed, in the electric age, the ‘I’ in the GTI badge will denote ‘Intelligence’, and not ‘Injection’ for obvious reasons.
Following the same philosophy as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the ID.GTI can emulate the power delivery and sound of iconic ICE models of the past, including the 1976 Mk1 Golf GTI. Performance figures are yet to be announced, but for reference, the ID.2all uses a 223bhp front motor and reaches 62mph from rest in around 7sec – the GTI will of course surpass these figures.
The concept uses a single electric motor to deliver power to the front wheels, and as ever with performance EVs, the torque delivery can be precisely tuned and integrated with the car’s electronic chassis systems to optimise performance. The ID.GTI uses a locking differential to more effectively distribute torque between the front wheels, which is also managed by electronics.
Clothing the ID.2all concept with typical GTI touches, such as a red pinstripe on the front fascia, a honeycomb mesh grille and a new bodykit, the ID.GTI certainly looks more overtly sporting than the mild GTX models on sale today. At 4.1m long and over 1.8m wide, it has a slightly bigger footprint than today’s Polo, and it should be much more spacious inside thanks to the packaging advantages of EVs.
The Concept’s interior, with its wraparound dashboard and oblong-shaped steering wheel, will probably be watered down for production, but Volkswagen says that some elements – such as the 12.9-inch central infotainment display – are almost showroom-ready. There’s no indication of what the ID.GTI might cost, but expect it to be positioned somewhere near £30,000 to reflect its position in the lineup.
