Volkswagen first hinted at an electric equivalent of the Golf R last year when it unveiled the ID.X as a conceptual hot hatch without a combustion engine. Several months later, the peeps from Wolfsburg announced there would be a production model at some point, but without providing an exact timeframe. Thankfully, we now have an idea regarding when the ID.3 GTX will hit the streets.
Speaking with the media in Austria at the local launch of the ID.5 SUV, VW product line spokesperson Martin Hube explained the GTX will be based on the facelifted ID.3. Some had expected to see the feisty hatchback as early as 2022, but the mid-cycle update for the compact EV won't arrive until 2023. When it does arrive, it'll join the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX in what will become VW's lineup of performance-oriented electric models.
Volkswagen ID.X concept
"[For the] ID.3 facelift…we will get some very interesting details and of course, we are convinced that customer's expectations for a bit more power, for all-wheel drive is there, and [the] customer's wish is what we have to fulfill."
Much like the GTX-badged performance SUVs, the new ID.3 GTX will have all-wheel drive by adopting a front-mounted electric motor. While the ID.X concept had a potent setup with 329 hp on tap, VW has already revealed the subsequent production car isn't going to be as strong. Considering the ID.5 GTX needs 6.2 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill, the ID.3 GTX should have a sub-six-second sprint since it'll be lighter.
Some will remember VW also teased an ID.3 convertible, but that has yet to receive the stamp of approval. It's easy to see why considering the demand for cabrios has plummeted in recent decades. However, the design sketch published last year has since evolved into a drivable concept car.
Oddly enough, the sole model from the VW core brand with a folding roof is the T-Roc Convertible. It's an oddball crossover-cabrio mashup in the same vein as the ill-fated Range Rover Evoque Convertible.
