Forty-eight years since the Golf 1 GTI was unveiled in Frankfurt, Volkswagen has rolled out the Polo-sized ID.GTI at the Munich motor show. The ID.2-based concept previews the first all-electric Volkswagen model to wear a GTI badge.

In a way, it’s fitting that Volkswagen chose to apply the hallowed GTI badge to the upcoming ID.2 small hatchback instead of its (also MEB-based) ID.3 premium hatchback model, which is the Golf 8’s battery-electric counterpart… The styling of the ID.2, built on the shortened “MEB Small” platform, draws more inspiration from the Giugiaro-penned Golf 1 and, besides, the concept is peppered with classic GTI cues.

Volskwagen CEO Thomas Schäfer poses with the new ID GTI concept.

Of course, we’re not entirely surprised that the Wolfsburg-based brand teased its first electric GTI offering at the Munich motor show; last month, Cars.co.za reported that Volkswagen had applied to trademark a revised GTI logo (one in which the final letter is replaced with a lightning bolt). Might that new logo appear on the production version of the ID.GTI concept? We would not bet against it.

At 4 104 mm in length, 1840 mm in width and 1 499 mm in height, the ID.GTI concept is slightly bigger than the current-gen Polo GTI. Like its ICE counterpart, it is front-wheel-driven and Autocar expects it will be powered by a 168-kW motor, have a 56 kWh battery, be able to zip from 0 to 100 kph in 6.9 sec and compete with models such as the newly-unveiled Mini Cooper Electric and Abarth 500e.

Bear in mind, however, that the production version will only be shown in 2026, so the powertrain specifications – and battery capacity – will probably have been beefed up a little by then…

The ID.GTI Concept is undoubtedly a show car – it’s not showroom-ready, which is why it’s adorned with all the go-faster bits; it sits 15 mm lower to the ground than the standard ID2 will, wears 8-spoke, 2-tone 20-inch wheels and decidedly sporty bumpers – the front one, for example, features air curtains, vertical arrays of LED DRLs, an air scoop with honeycomb-pattern black mesh and a pair of red tow hooks.

IQ Light Matrix LED headlamps are complemented by an illuminated VW badge at the front, as well as bespoke 3D tail-light graphics and black shading on the lower edges of the doors and on the tailgate. Black wheel-arch cladding and side sills (the latter with embossed feature GTI logos) complete the look.

As for the interior, we only have VW’s design sketches to go on, but note original GTI-inspired cues such as a 3-spoke steering wheel with a marker at the 12 o’clock position, striped “Jack-e” seat upholstery and ornate red accents on the dashboard, door trims and centre console; the front seats’ backrests appear to have portrait panels with pulsing LED surrounds, but they’re unlikely to make it to production.

The ID.GTI concept’s 10.9-ich digital instrument cluster can apparently be configured to display old-school dials that closely resemble the gauge cluster of the Golf 1 GTI, a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen is fitted and the head-up display projects onto the entirety of the windscreen.

Like the upcoming ID.2, the ID.GTI is said to be deceptively spacious for a small hatchback, with a 490-litre load bay (with up to 1 330 litres of utility space available when the rear seat is folded down) and a 50-litre lockable stowage compartment underneath the rear seat.

Although the roadgoing version of the ID.GTI concept – it might be called the ID.2 GTI –is still some way from arriving in Mzansi (the Wolfsburg-based brand will only begin building the derivative in about 4 years’ time), Volkswagen South Africa is currently preparing to roll out the ID.4 all-electric compact crossover in our market quite soon; we recently drove that model in Poland – read all about it!

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