- There is a new top end to the all-electric Volkswagen ID.3 Hatchback, with order books for the ID.3 GTX Performance opening this month.
- The ID.3 GTX Performance will be the fastest variant of the ID.3 yet: whilst the standard ID.3 GTX is already an electric hot hatch contender, the Performance variant takes it even further: upping power from 282hp to 322hp, helping to deliver a 0-62mph time of only 5.9 seconds.
- With a list price from £46,225 / €52,295 ($58,400), the GTX Performance is priced near to other performance EVs like the Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance – but for now, does not have any very similar rivals, with the same hatchback shape, from another brand.
Another addition to Volkswagen’s EV performance division
Despite the extra power on tap, the ID.3 GTX Performance actually manages to squeeze even more range out of the hatch, thanks to an increased battery size – 79kWh to be precise, allowing a range of up to 369 miles – higher than the current top-spec ID.3 Pro S’ 346 miles.
The new model is the first EV from Volkswagen to benefit from an updated vresion of Volkswagen’s APP550 motor, squeezing more power out of the unit. This development is evident when it comes to top speed also, with an increased top speed limiter of 200km/h (124mph) – giving it the highest top speed of any fully electric VW yet.
Kai Grünitz, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Brand responsible for Technical Development, commented on the launch:
“The ID.3 GTX Performance is, for me, the electric counterpart to the Golf GTI Clubsport… Of course, an electric drive and a turbocharged petrol engine each have their own unique character. Yet the ID.3 GTX Performance and the Golf GTI Clubsport share the same fascinating lightness when they accelerate. Volkswagen is transferring the almost 50-year tradition of its compact GT models into the world of electric mobility. Driving pleasure is guaranteed.”
While Volkswagen currently differentiates its performance EVs from their ICE counterparts by using the GTX badge instead of the longstanding GTI moniker, that could change with the OEM’s next refresh of its electric range, particularly once ICE cars are fully eliminated from its lineup further in the future, removing the need to differentiate.
The launch of the ID.3 GTX Performance comes just weeks after the OEM opened order books for the performance variant of its flagship electric saloon, the ID.7 GTX.
