Volkswagen has revealed the ID.3 GTI, the sporty electric version of its compact car, making it the most powerful production vehicle to carry the GTI badge in the company’s history. The announcement coincides with the 50th anniversary of the GTI brand and follows the introduction of the ID. Polo GTI, making the ID.3 the second Volkswagen electric car to receive this treatment.
The car relies on a rear electric motor producing 322 horsepower, or 240 kilowatts, with 545 newton-meters of torque. Volkswagen claims acceleration from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 5.6 seconds. This power output narrowly exceeds the figures of the Golf GTI Edition 50, which produces 321 horsepower, but the ID.3 does not beat it in acceleration, as the Golf requires 5.3 seconds to reach the same speed.
A Performance-Oriented Driving System
The ID.3 GTI features what Volkswagen calls the “GTI Dynamics” system, including adaptive DCC sport suspension, a low center of gravity, progressive direct steering, and a Launch Control system. A GTI mode is also standard, adjusting the motor, chassis, rear motor, and steering to settings focused on a sporty character.
Activating Launch Control is linked to visible changes inside the cabin, including the ambient lighting turning red and the Digital Cockpit display switching to GTI mode. The car also simulates the sound of a sporty internal-combustion-engine vehicle, an approach that has previously appeared in other sporty electric cars, including the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N.
A Larger Battery and Fast Charging
The car is based on the ID.3 Neo architecture and uses a battery with a capacity of 79 kilowatt-hours. Its range reaches 601 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. DC charging is available at up to 183 kilowatts, and Volkswagen says charging the battery from 10% to 80% takes approximately 29 minutes.
The cabin receives a 12.9-inch infotainment display and a 10-inch instrument display, in addition to sport seats and red design elements inspired by GTI. Volkswagen is also bringing physical buttons back for some functions below the infotainment display and on the steering wheel. On the outside, the car features a red front strip and 20-inch Wörthersee wheels.
What Changes in Practice?
The ID.3 GTI represents an attempt to transfer the identity of sporty compact cars to a rear-wheel-drive electric system, combining performance with a range suitable for everyday use according to the company’s specifications. However, the available figures do not yet determine the car’s position compared with competitors, particularly because its price and the markets where it will be available have not been announced.
Volkswagen will open pre-orders in early 2027 and plans to reveal the price closer to the launch date. The company expects the price to be slightly higher than that of the ID. Polo GTI, whose price in Germany starts at 39,000 euros, or approximately 45,000 dollars. As a result, the cost of the ID.3 GTI and details of its regional availability remain among the key open questions.