You’re witnessing a little piece of motoring history with the new Volkswagen ID.4 GTX.
Because this is VW’s first high-performance electric car - and a hot ‘hatch’ that threatens to steal thunder from the iconic VW Golf GTI.
The firm itself says it’s bringing ‘new and intelligent sportiness to the world of electric mobility’. And the GTX is a much more powerful version of its existing ID.4 SUV crossover - a jumped-up version of its ID.3 hatchback - which went on sale earlier this month.
The ID.4 GTX has one electric drive motor on both the front and rear axle, which work together to produce a whopping 299 hp.
That puts the GTX on a par with the sportiest new Audi Q4 e-tron - the ‘50’ quattro.
More importantly still is that the GTX is also now neck-and-neck with Volkswagen’s other sporty family runabout - the Golf GTI.
The acceleration figure for both cars is identical - 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds. In the Golf it’s a 2.0-liter TSI engine that pumps out 297 hp, not a battery.
And, clearly, there’s one big difference between the two vehicles - the GTX offers miles of zero emissions driving, while the GTI is still something of a guilty pleasure.
VW’s Thomas Ulbrich says:
“The full torque of the electric powertrain is immediately available and you can feel the excellent vehicle handling in every bend. What’s more, the innovative operating and safety concept is just as intelligent as the drive train! For example, the driver is supported by the unique augmented reality head-up display and comprehensive assist systems.”
The GTX should be good for around 298 miles between charges, which is only slightly down on the regular ID.4 with the larger 77 kWh battery. With fast-charging capabilities, you’ll also be able to put enough juice in the battery to cover 186 miles in just 30 minutes.
Meanwhile the GTX has also been given a performance-oriented new look compared to the normal ID.4
There are honeycomb elements that form the daytime running lights, which apes the look of the Golf GTI, while the body colour is more ‘dominant’ than on rear-wheel drive models.
The roof and rear spoiler are black, while the roof frame bar is a high-gloss anthracite.
And the interior also boasts a new colour scheme. The upper section of the dashboard and leatherette inserts in the doors come in the dark shade of ‘X-Blue’, while there’s also red contrasting stitching - which VW loves to use in its sportiest models.
Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of the Volkswagen Brand, adds:
“Electric driving is simply great fun – and with the ID.4 GTX we are adding a new dimension of sportiness and dynamics. The most emotional member of the ID. family to date shows that electric mobility and top sporty performance are not mutually exclusive.”
The VW ID.4 GTX goes on sale this summer.
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