VW is beginning to flex its muscles in the performance sector of its electric car lineup. The ID.X concept is going into production according to VW CEO, Ralph Brandstätter.
VW has shown what is possible in terms of hot hatch development, with its ID electric vehicle platform.
Earlier this year, the German company’s passenger car boss, Ralf Brandstätter, revealed a new version of the ID.4 with strong Golf R overtures. For loyal followers of VW’s hot hatch business, the question of a performance-orientated ID.4 has been tantalizing.
A team under Brandstätter was given some budget and design freedom, to create a lightweight version of the ID.4 GTX which was dubbed the ID.X. Although the dual-motor electric powertrain remains unchanged, VW’s technical experts have managed to take a lot of weight out of the car, despite the battery capacity increasing to 82 kWh.
The ID.4 GTX produces 220 kW while the lightweight, dual-motor all-wheel-drive ID.X has 245 kW but is also 200 kg lighter. That improves its 0-100 kph sprint time, which is nearly a second faster than the standard ID.4 GTX. VW’s lightweight concept runs the benchmark sprint time in 5.3 seconds, compared to the ID.4 GTX’s 6.2 seconds.
Beyond its weight reduction, the ID.X lightweight concept also has unique software, enabling a drift mode, with torque vectoring. It also rolls larger wheels and has some trick neon design details.
VW fans who are particularly perceptive will notice that the ID.X also has a slightly lower stance, thanks to revised suspension components.
Production VW ID.3 GTX hot hatch for production
Ralph Brandstätter has reportedly confirmed that the ID.X Concept will be produced as the ID.3 GTX and it’s expected to arrive in showrooms in 2022. The ID.3 GTX will be the third electric model from Volkswagen to wear a GTX badge alongside the ID.4 GTX and the ID.5 GTX. GTX is the electric vehicle equivalent of the legendary GTI badge which South Africans love so much. It’s worth noting that more powerful versions are likely too. Watch this space!
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