Volkswagen Golf GTI to live on, and it'll be electric

Auto Express

2 days ago

It's official: the first fully electric Volkswagen Golf GTI is under development. This is undoubtedly a crucial moment for this iconic hot hatchback and, in order to keep the scepticism of some fans at bay, VW CEO Thomas Schäfer has promised that the new EV will 'be a monster car'. Advertisement - Article continues below
We're yet to hear the exact date when the new GTI is expected to arrive, but in the meantime, we do know that VW will continue to update the current Golf until at least 2030.
Conceptual work on the new model is already well underway, though, and while VW is remaining pretty tight-lipped about the details, Schäfer has told Auto Express that he's 'very happy with the progress', adding: 'It's cool. You can make it exciting. It has to be exciting, it has to be authentic. It has to be a [true] GTI.'
Confidence certainly seems high at this early stage, and it needs to be because this is by far one of the most important and beloved cars to wear a Volkswagen badge. Keep reading to find out everything we know about the new Volkswagen Golf GTI so far.
We know that the new GTI will be front-wheel drive, despite its closest electric sibling – the ID.3 GTX – having a 322bhp motor driving the rear wheels. That's around 60bhp more than today's 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol GTI, but it's possible that the e-GTI will match its stepchange in power, because of an electric motor's ability to precisely control the torque at each wheel.
The first electric Golf R – also being planned, according to Schäfer – will have the capacity to come with another power leap, with drive being applied to all four wheels. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Schäfer said the ID.2 GTI – already shown in concept form – will set the benchmark for the new hot Golf. 'We'll bring through a whole group of GTI, starting with the ID.2 GTI, which is the first one coming electrically,' he explained. 'When we started this journey, [we told] the development teams 'we've got to be proud of the GTI of the future', and the team's taking that on.'
The CEO has already hot-lapped the upcoming GTI, which is expected to hit the market in 2026. 'We've driven a few prototypes on the new set-up, and it's mind-blowing. What about the sound? What about the total feel, the handling and so on? It can be done,' Schäfer said. However, he wouldn't be drawn on whether the GTI would emulate the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N with its simulated gearshifts and soundtrack, along with a drift mode – electronic playthings that would be better suited to the more hardcore nature of the electric Golf R.
Digital work on the new Golf package is shaping up, before the car moves into the physical prototype stage. 'We know what the vehicle looks like and [we can] sit virtually in the vehicle,' said Schäfer. 'The dimensions of the platform and the vehicle are clear, although it's not [fine-tuned] to the last design detail. We have many steps to get through.' Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
As our exclusive images show, we expect the next-generation Golf GTI to follow the usual design approach of evolution rather than revolution. Approachability and familiarity are two aspects that have maintained the Golf's appeal to UK buyers over a number of decades, and these qualities could prove essential as the brand tries to woo more customers into making the transition to an EV.
The SSP underpinnings will also be a game-changer for the Volkswagen Group. Electric cars from Skoda and VW all the way up to Lamborghini and Bentley will tap into the hardware and software modules it introduces, but iterations will be broken down according to vehicle size and cost.
'It's going to be really scalable,' the boss told Auto Express on the fringe of the FT's Future of the Car summit. 'We have certain sizes according to the vehicle, but still the same modules of the key components that can be used across [SSP], so you have the maximum scaling effect, also in purchasing power.'
And what's Thomas Schäfer's favourite GTI of all time? 'I think the first one is the most exciting, because it came out of nowhere and was a total game-changer.'
That first Golf GTI made 108bhp from its 1.6-litre, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder engine. That'll be a world apart from the first all-electric, 300bhp-plus Golf GTI arriving some 54 years later – but hopefully its core DNA will be very much intact. View Golf View Golf View Golf
Would you buy an electric Golf GTI? Share your thoughts in the comments section...
Find a car with the experts 2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners
2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners
Land Rover has introduced new, larger white-painted steel wheels for models with big brakes, fixing one massive irritation with the previous generatio… Car Deal of the Day: Hit the road in style with the electric BMW i4 for only £344 a month
Car Deal of the Day: Hit the road in style with the electric BMW i4 for only £344 a month
It may be a little overlooked these days, but the i4 is still a fine electric saloon. It's our Deal of the Day for 30 May New single-motor Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85 goes the distance with 356-mile range
New single-motor Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85 goes the distance with 356-mile range
More range for less from new Enyaq SportLine 85, which is £1,500 cheaper than 4WD model