Latest news with #ID.3
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Volkswagen Will Use Real Names Again, and These Were Some of the Best
Volkswagen is now admitting its mistakes with the naming of its line of EVs. The ID.3, ID.4, and ID.7 aren't the worst we've seen, but the and ID.2all are just plain weird and utterly forgettable. It's too easy to forget what kind of vehicle goes with what name. Seriously, why couldn't Volkswagen call its electric minivan the Westfalia or something similar from its past? It has a retro style, so give it a name that's evocative, not strange. Now, the brand wants to pivot by returning to proper names, the kind that many brands abandoned over the past few decades. The guilty parties are the brands that have employed alpha-numeric model names in place of names with character, having copied the Germans' methodology. Car companies wanted to be viewed as cultured and sophisticated like the Europeans, but almost nothing dilutes a car's personality like getting rid of a proper name. Acura used to have great names like the Legend and the Integra (thankfully, it's back now), but moved to meaningless names like RL, CL, TL, et al. Mazda eliminated names like Tribute and Millenia in favor of 626, 6, CX-5, CX-9, and so on. Cadillac used to have the DeVille, the Eldorado, and even the Allante. Okay, so we don't miss the Cimarron or the Catera, but at least we remember what those cars looked like. Thankfully, it still has the Escalade. When Lexus and Infiniti emerged as luxury sub-brands, they went right to alpha-numeric names without hesitating. The LS, SC, RX, and ES were born, and Infiniti's Q, J, QX, FX, and M names weren't much better. When Genesis hit the scene decades later, it did the same with its G80, then G70, G90, GV70, GV80, and the electric GV60. Then, there are just plain confusing ones that don't roll off the tongue. The BMW X5 sounds fine, but transmogrify it into the BMW X5 sDrive40i? Really? Enough already with all the letters and numbers. How about a real name? We love it when automakers do the right kind of course correction, and we get that naming vehicles presents challenges. Model names should be unique and evoke the brand identity well, but that doesn't mean the results are always worthy of respect. According to Volkswagen, 'ID' stands for 'Intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies'. Snooze. Where's the passion? The 'ID.' style naming convention isn't widespread across VW's stable, but it dominates its EVs. The brand still has the Golf, Jetta, Taos, Tiguan, and Atlas (no one misses names like the hard-to-pronounce Touareg or the tepidly labeled Passat), but it recognizes that the ID. vehicles lack some naming verve. VW's head of marketing and sales, Martin Sander, stated to the German publication Auto Und Wirtschaft: "The cars will get proper names again. Neither the ID. 2all nor the ID. Every1 will have those names in series production. We'll announce that when the time comes." What the revised EV names will be is unknown, but we know that the current ones really need to go. You can't just slap an "ID" and a "." along with goofy made-up words tacked on in hopes that customers will know what they are. They sure won't go down in history as great car names. Here are some of the best names from Volkswagen's illustrious past that we think should make a resurgence. The Rabbit name never should've disappeared. It was used for the first generation of the North American Golf, and was cute and memorable, more than even the iconic Golf. It was boxy-handsome, fun to toss, and very affordable. VW would earn the praise of just about everyone if it brought back the name. Of course, the Golf "Rabbit" is perfect for the upcoming ID. Every1. The Scirocco (shir-ROC-o) is probably the best name VW ever came up with. It comes directly from a Mediterranean wind, and boy, does it sound cool. Also known as the Type 53, the two-door, front-wheel drive hatchback was meant to be a successor to the Karmann Ghia coupe and a sportier alternative to the more economical Golf. Please, VW, put it on the ID. CODE and bring that China-only EV here. The name alone would make it sell. The Corrado was the successor to the Scirocco, but it didn't last long in the United States. It briefly sold next to the outgoing Scirocco, but its price and limited practicality prevented wider appeal. Its last year stateside was 1994, and the two-door, front-wheel drive hatchback never had a successor. The name came from the Spanish verb "correr" (to sprint), and boy, did it leave quickly. The Corrado name would be a great replacement for the ID. CROZZ 2-door electric crossover. Ok, so we're not 100% behind this one, but hear us out. The originally military-use vehicle isn't pretty by any means, but the name is totally memorable. Otherwise known as the Volkswagen Type 181, it was originally created as a semi-amphibious vehicle for the West German Army. We don't doubt that any modern Volkswagen would look prettier than this boxy SUV inspired by cardboard boxes, but we could definitely see a boxy Jeep-style electric SUV with the "Thing" name slapped on it. It would be perfect if the ID. LIFE concept was brought to life. We get that the future of automotive is electric, but that doesn't mean VW's EV names have to suck. Finally, someone higher up in the Volkswagen ranks is talking sense, and maybe other automakers will follow suit. Is it marketing suicide to change names midstream? Not necessarily. It could be risky, but it's been done before. VW would be making a smart move, in our opinion, and properly done names could make their vehicles more easily identifiable and memorable. Volkswagen Will Use Real Names Again, and These Were Some of the Best first appeared on Autoblog on May 28, 2025
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Volkswagen Will Use Real Names Again, and These Were Some of the Best
Volkswagen is now admitting its mistakes with the naming of its line of EVs. The ID.3, ID.4, and ID.7 aren't the worst we've seen, but the and ID.2all are just plain weird and utterly forgettable. It's too easy to forget what kind of vehicle goes with what name. Seriously, why couldn't Volkswagen just call its electric minivan the Westfallia or something similar from its past? It has a retro style, so give it a name that's evocative, not strange. Now, the brand wants to pivot by returning to proper names, the kind that many brands abandoned over the past few decades. The guilty parties are the brands that have employed alpha-numeric model names in place of names with character, having copied the Germans' methodology. Car companies wanted to be viewed as cultured and sophisticated like the Europeans, but almost nothing dilutes a car's personality like getting rid of a proper name. Acura used to have great names like the Legend and the Integra (thankfully, it's back now), but moved to meaningless names like RL, CL, TL, et al. Mazda eliminated names like Tribute and Millenia in favor of 626, 6, CX-5, CX-9, and so on. Cadillac used to have the DeVille, the Eldorado, and even the Allante. Okay, so we don't miss the Cimarron or the Catera, but at least we remember what those cars looked like. Thankfully, it still has the Escalade When Lexus and Infiniti emerged as luxury sub-brands, they went right to alpha-numeric names without hesitating. The LS, SC, RX, and ES were born, and Infiniti's Q, J, QX, FX, and M names weren't much better. When Genesis hit the scene decades later, it did the same with its G80, then G70, G90, GV70, GV80, and the electric GV60. Then, there are just plain confusing ones that don't roll off the tongue. The BMW X5 sounds fine, but transmogrify it into the BMW X5 sDrive40i? Really? Enough already with all the letters and numbers. How about a real name? We love it when automakers do the right kind of course correction, and we get that naming vehicles presents challenges. Model names should be unique and evoke the brand identity well, but that doesn't mean the results are always worthy of respect. According to Volkswagen, 'ID' stands for "Intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies". Snooze. Where's the passion? The "ID." style naming convention isn't widespread across VW's stable, but it dominates its EVs. The brand still has the Golf, Jetta, Taos, Tiguan, and Atlas (no one misses names like the hard-to-pronounce Touareg or the tepidly labeled Passat), but it recognizes that the ID. vehicles lack some naming verve. VW's head of marketing and sales, Martin Sander, stated to the German publication Auto Und Wirtschaft: "The cars will get proper names again. Neither the ID. 2all nor the ID. Every1 will have those names in series production. We'll announce that when the time comes." What the revised EV names will be is unknown, but we know that the current ones really need to go. You can't just slap an "ID" and a "." along with goofy made-up words tacked on in hopes that customers will know what they are. They sure won't go down in history as great car names. Here are some of the best names from Volkswagen's illustrious past that we think should make a resurgence. "Rabbit" (1975 - 1984) should replace the "ID. Every1" The Rabbit name never should've disappeared. It was used for the first generation of the North American Golf, and was cute and memorable, more than even the iconic Golf. It was boxy-handsome, fun to toss, and very affordable. VW would earn the praise of just about everyone if it brought back the name. Of course, the Golf "Rabbit" is perfect for the upcoming ID. Every1. "Scirocco" (1974–1992) should replace the "ID. CODE" The Scirocco (shir-ROC-o) is probably the best name VW ever came up with. It comes directly from a Mediterranean wind, and boy, does it sound cool. Also known as the Type 53, the two-door, front-wheel drive hatchback was meant to be a successor to the Karmann Ghia coupe and a sportier alternative to the more economical Golf. Please, VW, put it on the ID. CODE and bring that China-only EV here. The name alone would make it sell. "Corrado" (1988-1995) should replace the "ID. CROZZ" The Corrado was the successor to the Scirocco, but it didn't last long in the United States. It briefly sold next to the outgoing Scirocco, but its price and limited practicality prevented wider appeal. Its last year stateside was 1994, and the two-door, front-wheel drive hatchback never had a successor. The name came from the Spanish verb "correr" (to sprint), and boy, did it leave quickly. The Corrado name would be a great replacement for the ID. CROZZ 2-door electric crossover. "Thing" (1968–1983) should replace the "ID. LIFE" Ok, so we're not 100% behind this one, but hear us out. The originally military-use vehicle isn't pretty by any means, but the name is totally memorable. Otherwise known as the Volkswagen Type 181, it was originally created as a semi-amphibious vehicle for the West German Army. We don't doubt that any modern Volkswagen would look prettier than this boxy SUV inspired by cardboard boxes, but we could definitely see a boxy Jeep-style electric SUV with the "Thing" name slapped on it. It would be perfect if the ID. LIFE concept was brought to life. We get that the future of automotive is electric, but that doesn't mean VW's EV names have to suck. Finally, someone higher up in the Volkswagen ranks is talking sense, and maybe other automakers will follow suit. Is it marketing suicide to change names midstream? Not necessarily. It could be risky, but it's been done before. VW would be making a smart move, in our opinion, and properly done names could make their vehicles more easily identifiable and memorable. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Automakers Rebrand Electric Vehicles, Drop Confusing Badges
"What's in a name?" Shakespeare asked. When it's a car we're talking about, a badge can mean a lot. And that's why a number of automakers have begun rethinking the nameplates they've been saddling their battery-electric vehicles with. Volkswagen, for one, said this week it will walk away from the "ID" badge used for its growing line-up of EVs. It follows Mercedes-Benz which will give up on its largely meaningless "EQ" alphanumeric nomenclature, and Toyota officials told Autoblog they're ready to walk away from the "bZ" badge as new EVs come to market. "Initially, these names sounded good on paper…as a way to distinguish their EVs from the rest of the line-up," said Stephanie Brinley, principal auto analyst with S&P Global Mobility, "but as the model range expands, it becomes more confusing." Since it launched one of the most expensive EV development program in industry history, the Volkswagen brand has distinguished its all-electric products with the ID nomenclature, initially followed by a number indicating the vehicle's size class. That started with the midrange ID.4 to which VW has since added the smaller ID.3 crossover, the bigger ID.5, and the sporty ID.7 sedan. It began to break with that strategy with the launch of the microvan. And, going forward, the German marque's EVs "will get proper names again," Martin Sander, Volkswagen's marketing and sales chief told German business publication Auto und Wirtschaft. The automaker already has referred to the microvan as simply "Buzz" in some situations, and the new approach is expected to formally appear with the launch of production versions of the and ID.2all concept vehicles – which are widely expected to be badged Up and Polo, respectively. When Toyota launched its first modern EV a couple years ago, it saddled the electric crossover with the ungainly bZ4X badge. While that's likely not the primary reason while sales have lagged expectations, it certainly didn't help, acknowledged the brand's marketing chief Mike Tripp. So, with the debut of a major 2026 update, the EV not only gets more power, more range and more tech features but a newly shortened name, bZ. And a new off-road-oriented variant blends adds a more conventional moniker, bZ Woodlands. And once the EV goes through a major makeover, several officials told Autoblog on background, it will likely adopt the name of one of Toyota's existing, non-electric model lines. That's expected to happen with other EVs set to debut over the next 12 to 18 months. "We're going to stick with conventional names for future electric vehicles," Toyota brand marketing chief Mike Tripp said in an interview. "It always makes sense to use an existing product name because it has awareness," Tripp explained. We've already heard from Mercedes-Benz, which will downplay the alpha-format EQ badging used for its recent EV entries, such as the flagship EQS line. The shift starts with the launch of an all-electric version of the classic G-Wagen. Originally set to be dubbed EQG, it instead will come to market as the G580 with EQ Technology. Expect that approach to continue with other upcoming battery-electric models, while the current EQS, EQE and EQB models will eventually be rebadged, as well. That said, Mercedes will still make things a bit confusing, using the "e" designation for hybrids, such as the S580e. And there'll be a unique moniker for electrified AMG products. Some brands are simply adding a letter to designate "electrified" models, as BMW does with its "I" entries. The Chevrolet brand has retained familiar badges, adding EV to the end of names like Equinox, Blazer and Silverado. So has its sibling, GMC, with the Hummer and Sierra EVs. Curiously, General Motors' flagship Cadillac brand moved away from its own, oft-criticized alphanumeric approach when it went electric. While gas models have been saddled with soulless badged like CTS and XT5, its first all-electric offering went with the cute, if quirky Lyriq nomenclature. Optiq and Vistiq will follow, while the battery-electric version of the brand's SUV flagship has been dubbed Escalade IQ. With so many more EVs to come, other manufacturers are starting to rethink their own naming policies. Hyundai's approach, blending "Ioniq," with a number indicating the vehicle's size, works for now, as does sibling brand Kia's approach with models like the EV4, EV6 and EV9. But the two Korean carmakers plan to bring out more than a dozen all-electric offerings and may run out of alphanumeric options at some point. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Scottish Sun
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Major car brand ‘to launch EV version' of popular model next year – and it will be faster than its flagship vehicle
Set to go electric — and it could leave the current top model behind HOT HATCH Major car brand 'to launch EV version' of popular model next year – and it will be faster than its flagship vehicle A MAJOR car brand is set to launch an electric version of one of its most popular models next year – and it's tipped to be even faster than the current flagship. Volkswagen is reportedly preparing to unveil an electric GTI hot hatch, based on its ID.3 model, with a launch expected in 2026, according to 5 The new ID.3 GTI will carry the legendary GTI badge Credit: Getty 5 The ID.3 GTI will deliver around 335hp, that's 13hp more than the current GTX model Credit: Supplied 5 This electric version will reportedly be rear-wheel drive Credit: Photo by Paddy McGrath This comes after the German manufacturer first stepped into the electric hot hatch space last year with the ID.3 GTX. The new ID.3 GTI will carry the legendary GTI badge, though it won't have the fuel injectors that gave the original its name. And unlike traditional GTIs, which have front-wheel drive, this electric version will reportedly be rear-wheel drive. According to Auto Motor and Sport, the ID.3 GTI will deliver around 335hp, that's 13hp more than the current GTX model. VW is also said to be working on major upgrades to the chassis, steering, and suspension to give drivers a more exciting and responsive experience behind the wheel. Interestingly, the electric GTI wasn't part of Volkswagen's original plan. But with delays to the next-generation electric Golf, now expected near the end of the decade, the carmaker is opting for a second facelift of the ID.3 to extend its life on the market. This update is set to bring the ID.3's design and technology closer to the upcoming ID.2 range. The ID.3 first launched in 2019 and saw a refresh in 2023. Inside the Volkswagen ID With the latest facelift, expected in 2026, the ID.3 GTI will take centre stage as VW's new electric performance star. VW has already shown off the ID. GTI concept, which previews the company's first electric car to wear the iconic badge. However, the larger ID.3 GTI now looks likely to beat it to showrooms. Pricing details are still under wraps, but in Germany, the current ID.3 GTX starts at just over €47,000, while the upcoming ID.2 will launch from around €25,000. Naturally, the GTI versions will carry a premium. Several other VW electric models have already received the GTX badge, including the ID.7 saloon, ID.7 Tourer estate, and even the GTX minivan. It's still unclear whether Volkswagen plans to eventually replace GTX with the more recognisable GTI name across its electric range. There's also speculation that an electric R-badged model could follow. And with rumours that VW may redesign the GTI logo to feature a lightning bolt in place of the 'I,' the brand's electric future is certainly shaping up to be electrifying. 5 Interestingly, the electric GTI wasn't part of Volkswagen's original plan Credit: Volkswagen AG
The Irish Sun
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Major car brand ‘to launch EV version' of popular model next year – and it will be faster than its flagship vehicle
A MAJOR car brand is set to launch an electric version of one of its most popular models next year – and it's tipped to be even faster than the current flagship. Volkswagen is reportedly preparing to unveil an electric GTI hot hatch, based on its ID.3 model, with a launch expected in 2026, according to Advertisement 5 The new ID.3 GTI will carry the legendary GTI badge Credit: Getty 5 The ID.3 GTI will deliver around 335hp, that's 13hp more than the current GTX model Credit: Supplied 5 This electric version will reportedly be rear-wheel drive Credit: Photo by Paddy McGrath This comes after the German manufacturer first stepped into the electric hot hatch space last year with the ID.3 GTX. The new ID.3 GTI will carry the legendary GTI badge, though it won't have the fuel injectors that gave the original its name. And unlike traditional GTIs, which have front-wheel drive, this electric version will reportedly be rear-wheel drive. According to Auto Motor and Sport, the ID.3 GTI will deliver around 335hp, that's 13hp more than the current GTX model. Advertisement Read more on Motors VW is also said to be working on major upgrades to the chassis, steering, and suspension to give drivers a more exciting and responsive experience behind the wheel. Interestingly, the electric GTI wasn't part of Volkswagen's original plan. But with delays to the next-generation electric Golf, now expected near the end of the decade, the This update is set to bring the ID.3's design and technology closer to the upcoming ID.2 range. Advertisement Most read in Motors Latest The ID.3 first launched in 2019 and saw a refresh in 2023. Inside the Volkswagen ID With the latest facelift, expected in 2026, the ID.3 GTI will take centre stage as VW's new electric performance star. VW has already shown off the ID. GTI concept, which previews the company's first electric car to wear the iconic badge. However, the larger ID.3 GTI now looks likely to beat it to showrooms. Advertisement Pricing details are still under wraps, but in Germany, the current ID.3 GTX starts at just over €47,000, while the upcoming ID.2 will launch from around €25,000. Naturally, the GTI versions will carry a premium. Several other VW electric models have already received the GTX badge, including the ID.7 saloon, ID.7 Tourer estate, and even the GTX minivan. It's still unclear whether Volkswagen plans to eventually replace GTX with the more recognisable GTI name across its electric range. Advertisement There's also speculation that an electric R-badged model could follow. And with rumours that VW may redesign the GTI logo to feature a lightning bolt in place of the 'I,' the brand's electric future is certainly shaping up to be electrifying. 5 Interestingly, the electric GTI wasn't part of Volkswagen's original plan Credit: Volkswagen AG 5 The ID.3 first launched in 2019 and saw a refresh in 2023 Credit: Alamy Advertisement
