Volkswagen Teases ID.4 GTX, First of a Line of Performance EVs

• VW has announced that it will brand the sportier, faster versions of its upcoming electric-vehicle lineup as "GTX."

• The new branding starts with the all-wheel-drive ID.4 GTX, which has a second motor on the front axle.

• The official unveiling of the ID.4 GTX doesn't come until April 28, but until then we can see the logo, at least.

Volkswagen is set to officially unveil a faster all-wheel-drive version of the ID.4 later this month, one that will carry the new GTX branding the company says it will be using to indicate higher-performance versions of its pure electric models.

In Europe, Volkswagen already uses GTI, GTD, and GTE branding – respectively for gasoline, diesel, and plug-in-hybrid models, with the badges applied variously to faster versions of the Golf, Polo, Passat, and even the baby Up! But on our side of the Atlantic, GTI is a model in its own right, and it's also the only member of the eighth-generation Golf clan to be sold in the States. While GTX branding hasn’t been used in the States before, it has featured in other markets. The 1984 Jetta GLI was sold as a GTX in some territories, including Canada.

The ID.4 GTX will be officially announced on April 28, but we’re told that the branding will also be used on other ID models. GTX versions will be distinguished by extra performance and, in the case of the ID.4, all-wheel drive through an additional motor on the front axle, which is the first time this will be offered on an ID model.

Volkswagen hasn’t officially confirmed power or performance, but Autocar in the U.K. has reported that the ID.4 GTX will have a combined output of 302 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, giving a claimed 6.2-second zero-to-62-mph time under Europe's generally conservative testing methodology. If so, that means the fastest of VW's ID models will remain substantially slower than even the most leisurely Tesla.

We can safely expect the GTX to be distinguished from lesser versions of the ID.4 with visual tweaks and a more dynamically focused suspension. We’re also hoping that the tartan seats long associated with GTI models make the transition to the brave new world of electron-fueled performance derivatives. The GTX hasn't been officially confirmed for the U.S., but we have been told that all-wheel-drive versions of the ID.4 will be offered starting next year, so it is entirely possible that this will be one of them.

Volkswagen is already reporting strong demand for its ID models in Europe, announcing it is also set to double the capacity of the Braunschweig, Germany, factory that assembles battery packs for vehicles that sit on the group’s pure electric MEB platform, from 250,000 to 500,000 a year, alongside up to 300,000 smaller battery packs for plug-in-hybrid vehicles. In addition to the ID.3 and ID.4, the company has just unveiled the larger ID.6 crossover at the Shanghai auto show; we’re also expecting a coupe-SUV ID.5 later this year.

You Might Also Like

• Future Cars Worth Waiting For: 2021-2025