Volkswagen will present the first fully electric car with the GTI badge — the ID. Polo GTI. Ahead of the official premiere, images of the production version of the model have leaked online, UNN reports with reference to foreign media.
Details
The premiere of the Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI is scheduled to take place on May 15 at the Nürburgring as part of the 24-hour race. The event is also timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the GTI.
According to preliminary data, the new model will become the most powerful production version of the Polo. The electric hot hatch is expected to feature a front electric motor with a capacity of 166 kW, which corresponds to approximately 222–226 horsepower.
The model will be built on the MEB+ platform. Volkswagen is also expected to equip the ID. Polo GTI with an electronically controlled front differential lock, which will work in conjunction with the Vehicle Dynamics Manager system. A similar solution is used in the current Golf GTI.
What is known about the battery and range
The ID. Polo GTI is expected to receive a battery with a capacity of 52.2 kWh. This battery is used in the higher-spec version of the standard ID. Polo.
For this battery, a range of up to 282 miles according to the WLTP cycle is claimed, which is about 454 km. At the same time, official certified figures specifically for the GTI version have not yet been released.
Design and Interior
Judging by the released media images, the electric ID. Polo GTI will feature elements characteristic of the GTI line: a red stripe at the front, GTI badges, a sporty front bumper, large wheels, and other decorative trim.
The interior will feature a 13-inch central display, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, physical control buttons under the screen, and a GTI-style steering wheel. Additionally, a retro mode for the digital dashboard, styled after the first Volkswagen Golf, was announced for the ID. Polo.
Context
Volkswagen is effectively bringing the GTI brand into the electric era. This is an important step for the company, as GTI has been associated with compact gasoline hot hatches for decades.
According to unofficial data, in the future, Volkswagen may also release a more powerful version, the ID. Polo GTI Clubsport. Its power could be around 282 hp, although this modification has not yet been officially confirmed.
There is currently no official price for the Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI. According to specialized media estimates, the cost of the electric hot hatch could be around 38,000 euros. The base version of the ID. Polo should be cheaper, but the exact price of the GTI will be known after the presentation or closer to the start of sales.
Reminder
The Volkswagen Golf topped the ranking of the most popular used cars imported to Ukraine in March.